Most people think about getting tree service in the spring, but there are a few things to consider in late autumn. 

Even though we basically live in paradise and have (mostly) mild winters, this is still a good time of year to give your precious trees a bit of extra care and attention.

Tree Service Tips to Prepare for Winter

With these autumn winds and impending winter chill, you don’t want to forget about your trees. If you haven’t already, make sure these yard tasks are completed before the first snowfall.

Remove dead or fallen trees and branches

Dead wood scattered around your yard is unsightly and a potential hazard at any time of year. But over the winter? They’re gonna rot and you do not want to deal with the fallout from that. 

If the branches or trees are too large to handle on your own, hire a tree removal company to do it for you (hey, need a tree service recommendation? I know a guy). This is also a good time to move and replant seedlings that have popped up in inappropriate places.

Trim the grass around the base of your fruit trees

While you may have put the mower away for the season already, consider breaking your weed whacker out for one last go. 

Trimming the grass around the trunks of your fruit trees helps them stay healthy into the spring. Why? It helps them avoid developing fungal and parasitic infections.

Fertilize your trees

This is definitely stating the obvious but it must be said: it rains a lot here. Especially in the fall. What does that mean for trees? The heavy rain we experience between summer and winter tends to wash away the soil around your trees, taking nutrients with it. 

Autumn is a great time to treat your tree’s soil with fertilizer. A slow-release fertilizer will help replace the lost nutrients and sustain your trees through the cold season, as well as ward off damage, disease and insects.

Mulch your leaves

You know how winters are here. It gets cold and it warms up over and over ad nauseum. While it’s super annoying to us humans, this repeated thawing and freezing can also damage tree roots and heave saplings out of the ground! Adding two or three inches of mulch around the bases of your trees in late fall or early winter in a donut shape will help your soil maintain a more consistent temperature by insulating the roots and slowing moisture loss.

Don’t have a mulch? WE DO. Give us a call and if we’re in the neighborhood we drop off some mulch (and chip whatever else you want us to).

See? That wasn’t so bad. If you have any other tree service questions about getting ready for winter don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re your local Comox Valley supertreeroes!