Fall & Winter Care For Trees

Trees need love too! It’s easy to take them for granted, until you lose an old friend during a storm, drought or insect infestation. That’s when you realize that mature trees set the tone and provide depth in a landscape, as well as provide shade and protection from the elements.

I remember vividly when I visited a new client who had just lost a prized silver maple that had stood with four others lining her driveway. It was early fall, and we had a very violent wind and rainstorm which caused the tree to become completely uprooted. It was like a death in the family for her, and she immediately became concerned for her other trees.

STORM DAMAGE PREVENTION – Clients are often surprised to find out that there are several things that can be done to protect treasured specimens. When we examined the fallen tree I could see that the canopy was very dense. Although a heavy canopy can be a sign of good health, it is often part of a mature tree’s undoing. A phenomenon known as “wind sail” is when a tree’s canopy is so full that the wind cannot get through the branches, and much like a sail, it blows the tree until it is uprooted. A professional pruning might have spared this silver maple.

FEEDING AND FERTILIZATION – In addition, I noticed that there were very few hair roots on the trees. Feeder roots are essential to maintaining the health and vitality of older trees and I was concerned that the other three silver maples might need a deep root feeding.

FALL AND WINTER CARE – I have since incorporated feeding and fertilizing into her plant health care program, and recommended injecting our ArborKelp and fertilizer combination directly into the root zone in the spring and fall. ArborKelp is SavATree’s patented seaweed based biostimulant that develops root structure to improve stability and drought resistance. Fertilizing is absolutely essential during drought conditions such as those that we are experiencing now. I also had one of my crews prune to lighten the canopies of the trees surrounding the driveway. We put a wire cable in her white birch to support a v-shaped trunk system in case of another wind storm.

When admiring the professionally designed foundation gardens on her property, my client complained that she had lost at least one rhododendron or boxwood each winter over the last few years. Based on the southern exposure and relatively unprotected location, I suspected sunscald or windburn were the culprits, and recommended an antidesiccant treatment. Antidesiccant forms a protective coating around evergreen shrubs, which protects them from the perils of winter.

It’s been a few years since this program was implemented. As with any property, we have had some challenges, however the vigor and beauty of this landscape has never been better, and I feel good knowing that we have another satisfied client.

-Ralph Robbins, Vice President

Click or call today to arrange a complimentary consultation from our fully trained and certified arborists for tree care, tree fertilizer and lawn care services from SavATree. Click here to contact the office nearest you.