Seasonal Tree Tips: Autumn

Mistletoe removal

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant spread by birds via their — ahem — digestive tract. When mistletoe seeds are left behind on branches, mistletoe will grow and spread quickly, siphoning nutrients and water from your trees. The only method of control is to prune out each individual clump. This is best done in the fall and winter, as your tree leaves begin to wilt and fall, allowing the evergreen mistletoe to be easily spotted.

Pollarding

Pollarding is a type of pruning most commonly performed on crape myrtles and other small ornamentals. It’s the practice of removing the upper branches of the tree in order to maintain a specific tree size and encourage a dense and uniform canopy. It should only be performed towards the end of fall and in winter as the growing season is coming to an end and/or the tree is dormant.

Major reduction pruning

Major reduction pruning is another tree task that’s best reserved for fall and winter. As with pollarding, removing a large amount of foliage during spring and summer is taking away resources from the tree during its growing season. So if you’ve been putting off having a large limb removed from over your house, or another similar project, now’s the time to get it done.

Planting preparation

If you’re thinking about planting new trees or landscaping next spring, make sure to prep the planting site by having any undesirable, dying or dead trees and shrubs removed and their stumps ground now. Doing so now not only spreads out the project cost, but importantly allows time for the old root balls to decompose and make way for new plantings in the spring.

Holiday decoration preparation

If you’re planning on wrapping your trees with holiday lights or stringing them along your eves, consider beautification pruning to make decorating an easier task. Lift canopies over the yard, prune limbs back from the house, and have unsightly dead wood removed to take your holiday decor to the next level.