Soil care during the fall helps your trees and shrubs thrive. With cooler temperatures and regular rainfall, root development is usually vigorous at this time of the year. As roots grow, they can absorb nutrients, which then are stored until spring. When spring arrives, the new leaves and twigs will have a ready and abundant source of nutrients that can be used to produce the food that trees need to survive and prosper.
At Bartlett Tree Experts, we are interested in both tree health and the environment. Our goals are to provide the nutrients your plants need without over-supplying any of them. Soil testing is recommended to determine which nutrients to apply. If a soil analysis has not been conducted within the past three years, ask your Bartlett Arborist Representative to collect a sample and send it to our laboratory for analysis. The report that you receive will let you know the nutrient levels of your soil and provide a Bartlett Plant Health Care Specialist with a detailed prescription of those that are essential to maintain your trees’ health.
In addition to fertilization, applying a layer of organic mulch over the root system is one of the best actions you can take at this time of year to prepare your trees for winter. Mulch insulates the soil, allowing water and nutrient uptake further into the fall. As mulch breaks down, it improves organic matter that encourages root growth. Arborist wood chips are one of the best forms of mulch available.
For compacted soil and declining trees, Bartlett’s Root InvigorationTM program may be the answer you are looking for. The program tills the soil with high pressure air and allows us to incorporate organic matter and nutrients into the soil. This treatment is best applied when the soil is cool and moist.
Bartlett Tree Experts provides a full line of soil care services that can improve the health of your trees and shrubs. Many of these services are best done in the fall. Now’s the time to arrange for a consultation.
