Take care of fall trees
Published 6:24 am Wednesday, August 23, 2006
By Staff
Fall is already upon us.
One of the greatest things about living in Michigan is that we are able to enjoy the beauty of the four seasons.
Our winters can bring a few obstacles here and there, but there's nothing like an early morning drive after a night of heavy snowfall. It's great to see children sledding and building snowmen and even the slightest snow makes Christmas Eve and Day that much better.
In the spring, we get to enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature as flowers and trees are brought to life. The smell of a fresh cut lawn, the tulips at their brightest and the leaves blooming on the trees reminds us that summer is on its way.
The summer months seem to be the busiest for everyone, as a number of outdoor activities are available, including a day at the lake, camping with family or a cookout with friends. We also get the luxury of daylight late into the evening, followed by early sunrises.
And last, but definitely not least, is fall. Truly a wonderful, colorful season. A time to enjoy warm days and cool nights. There's nothing better than taking a drive in the country to look at the vibrant colors of the trees or sitting at a high school football game on a Friday night in jeans and a sweatshirt.
Believe it or not, fall is already upon us. The leaves are already beginning to turn colors on a lot of trees around town, which is a sure sign that cool weather is just around the corner.
Usually, leaves don't begin to turn until September, but this year, there could be some questions answered as to why the leaves are already beginning to turn.
While shade trees that start turning color early may be nice accents, these trees are often signaling some type of a problem. Trees turning color already in August most likely are stressed or in decline and call for a closer look to see what the problems may be.
The weather can contribute to stress in trees. Drought and severe winters are two examples. Neither seems logical here, but sometimes past seasons can still have an influence on tree health. Weather problems for some trees include spring freezes after very mild weather in early March and flooding in summer from very heavy rains.
While the early color shows up in the canopy, start your inspection by looking down to the base of the tree. Root zones are a key area. Root damage is a very common stress factor that can lead to early fall color and decline. Types of damage may include direct injury from digging near the tree, injury from soil fill placed over the root zone, chemicals in the soil, excess water or too little water.
Examine trunks for wounds of various types, perhaps from equipment, storms, winter damage or animals. Since the "lifeline" of trees (sending up water and nutrients) is just under the bark, damage to trunks can have significant impact and may be why a tree is stressed and declining.
The best overall suggestion for stressed trees is to avoid further stress. Water during drought periods, including fall. Recall the previous year's fall and winter, which may have had an affect on your tree. Or, call a specialist to come take a look at the problem.
Whatever you do, don't worry about your tree. A very simple answer could just be the fact that we have had a largely cool summer with not a lot of rain, which will often make fall come a few weeks earlier than usual.
Let's just enjoy the changing of the leaves and the fun, colors and cool breezes that fall has to offer.