Summer is almost over and attention now turns to preparing for autumn and winter. Now is the perfect time to give your trees some much needed TLC to prepare them for the months ahead.
There is a misconception during autumn that trees are going through a dormant and shutting down phase. In fact the opposite is true. During autumn trees are getting ready to grow and are starting to gather the food reserves they need to keep them thriving. Much of this activity takes place below ground so you can’t physically see it.
In order to help trees thrive during the autumn and winter so that they can bloom in spring there are some practical measures you can take to help them. These include:
Laying mulch – spread a layer of organic wood chip mulch around the base of the tree. Around 4 to 6 inches should suffice. This will help to protect the soil around the tree and keep the nutrients that the trees need to thrive.
Prune – remove any dead wood, damaged twigs and branches to promote new growth.
Water – if there is little rainfall in autumn then watering your trees will help them grow, especially if they have been recently planted or newly established,
Fertilise – only do this if the soil in your garden is devoid of nutrients. If you know this to be the case then your trees will benefit from occasional fertilising.
Planting – Autumn is an excellent time for planting new trees. Growing conditions are perfect and excellent root growth can be achieved by planting trees in the autumn months.
Recycle leaves – fallen leaves can be mulched and added to compost, providing nutrients for the soil. This is a much better option than leaving them for the garden waste refuse collection.
If you are unsure how to prune your trees and need advice on how to take care of them so that they can thrive for the future then give Garden Busters a call. We have many years experience in tree care and garden maintenance and would be happy to help.