Fall Tree Care

Dormant Season Pruning

Take a deep breath. Can you smell that? Drying leaves, fermenting fruits, and a crisp breeze signify the arrival of Fall! We aren’t the only ones to notice these changes, however, as deciduous trees begin their annual autumn preparations for the dormant season. Changes evident to us include falling leaves, and the emergence of a stark branch structure in contrast to its previously lush canopy. Also many Pines and Evergreens like to join in the fun and shed off their internal yellowing needles. (Don’t fret this is completely normal!) It may be tempting to want to leave your tree to its dormancy, but for those seeking to keep in touch with their sleepy tree, it represents a golden opportunity for dormant season pruning!

Stress Reduction



During the dormant season, deciduous trees withdraw precious nutrients and minerals from the outer canopy to the safety of their sturdy trunk and protected roots. Once this sequestration is complete, few vital components remain in the outer portion of the trees canopy. The thinner branches and twigs residing in the outer canopy are kept in a state of inactivity, patiently awaiting next year’s spring seasonal flush. Consequentially, proper pruning done in the fall/winter timeframe results in less stress than it would during the growing season. For an organism that lives over the course of decades, if not centuries, a little proactive pruning now can benefit your tree for many years to come.

Disease Mitigation



Just like humans, trees are constantly under siege by numerous vectors of disease or infection. It seems intuitive to think that the growing season provides safety from these factors as abundant sunlight and water nourishes trees which become lush and vigorous. On the contrary, many fungal and bacterial infections thrive in the warm, wet conditions that spring and summer create. Furthermore, sugary sap flowing from open wounds on living tissue offers the perfect vector for entry into a site for infection. As autumn encourages trees to withdraw these enticing sugars and nutrients into inaccessible stockpiles, the infectious diseases take their que and enter a state of inaction as well! Considering the ebb and flow of these intermingling life cycles, fall is the perfect time to capitalize on pruning treatments that would otherwise inflict more harm than good!

Structural Pruning

Let’s face it, Colorado has a vast selection of oddly shaped trees that beg the question: “How did it get to be THIS out of control?” Often, the reason lies in the fact that many urban trees are non-native species that are unaccustomed to Colorado’s unique climate. Without human intervention, these trees would grow into unshapely forms that could pose a risk to people and even the tree itself. Structural pruning is one way in which we can influence the direction and habit of a tree’s future and there is no better time than the fall season to do it! Once fall settles in, the underlying branch structure is easily visible and accessible, making any pruning projects both effective and efficient. Utilizing the right methods, a skilled arborist can guide a tree’s growth into its healthiest, safest structure, maximizing its long-term potential and value to the landscape.



Reduce, reuse, recycle. Trees are one of our planets great recyclers. Here we are re-using some cardboard to protect the thin bark from the fierce Colorado sun. This stays on November - April to help avoid sunscald.

Wrap Up For Winter



Before winter arrives don’t forget to wrap up your young trees for the cold weather and protect them from that warm winter sun that hangs low in the sky. It’s this phenomenon, of the sun moving into the southern sky, that causes our lonely exposed young trees such problems in the winter. As the trees go dormant the living cells just underneath the surface of the bark dry out to make it through the cold temps of winter. When the sun shines directly on the southwest sides of these trees, it heats up the bark and the living tissue underneath which then begins to move water into the cells. As night falls and the temperature drops below freezing the water in these cells freezes and causes them to rupture and die. This explains the scarring we witness on many young and thin barked trees. This problem can persist for years even after a tree has matured because the “wound wood” that is being produced to grow over the scar also has thin bark and is susceptible to sunscald. 

Worry not, the protection your tree needs is as close as the nearest cardboard box. Cut that box into a long rectangle and wrap it loosely around the trunk of your young thin barked tree. Tie it together with some twine or a piece of wire or, god forbid, a plastic zip-tie! Don’t worry if it’s in the name of saving your tree we won’t tell anyone. Don’t forget to take it off in the Spring once the weather starts to warm up.

Written By

Andrew Wintergerst;

We Love Trees Crew Lead

Josh Morin;

CEO/Founder of We Love Trees

Big News!

We moved!



We moved to Yellow Barn Farm! We are very excited to work alongside some very knowledgable and talented individuals. Check out Yellow Barn at:



https://www.yellowbarn.farm/

We've Merged!

Life is Better With Friends

"David Schaldach and I became friends after spending a day together looking at trees and helping his clients to care for their trees. Over time, we realized that we share similar perspectives about our work. I like to say we are helping trees with people problems. David might say that he is supporting a balance between the needs of trees and people. For both of us we enjoy interacting with trees and people, so it made sense to work together and create some new possibilities that allow David to continue to be an active member in his community while he transitions into a different phase of life. Our hope is that by working together we will create a unique way to serve our community by being a local tree care provider that really believes in creating healthy community."

~ Josh Morin

Founder/CEO of We Love Trees

www.arborvital.com

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