Seasonal Tree Care and Maintenance

I found this web site after publishing the last blog "Seasons": http://www.theserviceguide.com/pages/tree_care_maintenance_calendar.asp

Providing proper care and maintenance for the trees on your property will enhance their health and well-being for the longevity of their lives. You, too, benefit by having healthy and beautiful trees, as they ultimately help enhance your home’s landscape. Knowing what to do for your trees and when can help. Below is a convenient calendar of tree care maintenance organized for you by season. This information is provided compliments of Rainbow Treecare.

 

Seasonal Calendar of Tree Care Maintenance

for Northern Climates

           

Note that time frames are approximate, variations occur due to difference in the weather every year.

January and February                                

• Winter is a good time to prune most trees.
  • When the leaves are off the trees it is easier to identify structural problems for correction or dead wood for removal.
  • Insects and disease problems are not active in the winter, eliminating the possibility of infection into fresh pruning wounds.
  • Winter is a good time to remove a tree especially if heavy equipment is required to do the work. The frozen ground and snow cover reduces the amount of damage that may be done to the lawn.

March

• Pruning of oaks and elms should be done by the end of the month in most years.
  • Pruning of trees and shrubs without disease or insect concerns will continue the entire season
• When the snow melts we begin to prune shrubs; shaping and removing winter damaged or dead stems.
• When the ground thaws we can begin Rootcare fertilization of trees and shrubs with our slow release fertilizer.

April and May

• We begin monitoring plant development and weather conditions in order to time treatments for insects and diseases. (Proper timing of pesticide applications is key to successful control.)
  • Early spring is the time to treat some insects such as pine saw flies and those that cause galls.
  • Fungal disease sprays like apple scab and anthracnose are done to protect new growth.
  • The systemic insecticide, Merit, is applied in early spring to control some insects later in the season on shrubs and small trees. Your Consulting Arborist will advise you regarding this treatment.
• The lawn care division gears up for another year and as the soil temperatures warm up; a pre-emergent herbicide is applied to control crabgrass and many broadleaf weeds.
  • When the grass begins to actively grow, the first application of lawn fertilizer is applied.
  • Your Consulting Arborist will help you understand your lawn and it´s specific needs.
• Early flowering trees and shrubs like magnolia, forsythia and lilac should be pruned after flowering in order to preserve the flower buds.
• Application of the plant growth regulator, Cambistat is done to control plant size and improve health in many situations.

June and July

• Symptoms of Dutch elm disease or oak wilt begin to show up in infected trees.
  • Injections to prevent Dutch elm disease begin in early June or when the leaves are fully formed.
  • White and bur oaks infected by oak wilt can be treated therapeutically, and red oaks can be protected against a root graft infection if they are near a diseased red oak.
• Spraying for most leaf fungus diseases will be done by early to mid-July.
• We monitor insect populations and apply treatment where population levels threaten plant health.
• Evergreens are pruned after the new growth is completed.
• The lawn care division is in full swing. Late spring lawn fertilization is done by early to mid-June.
• July is too hot for lawn fertilization, which stresses the grass. However, lawns are monitored for diseases and broadleaf weeds and pesticides are applied if warranted at this time of year.

August, September, and October

• Late summer and early fall is a good time to apply systemic insecticides that will prevent infestations next year.
• Dutch elm disease and oak wilt treatments continue until the leaves turn color in the fall.
• Iron injections to treat chlorosis (yellow leaves) are best done at this time of year.
• More can be done to improve or ensure a healthy lawn at this time of year than at any other time.
  • Late summer and fall are the best times to apply fertilizer because the plants are building crowns and root systems as the top growth slows down. This will mean healthy dense grass next year.
  • Aeration to alleviate compaction and to control thatch is best done in the late summer or fall.
  • This is an ideal time to establish a new lawn or to over seed a thin one. Air temperatures are cooler and soil temperature is warm leading to good germination and healthy new grass.
  • Perennial broadleaf weeds are controlled more effectively by herbicides at this time of year.
• Pruning of trees and shrubs continues throughout the entire season.

November and December

• Tree and shrub fertilization continues until the ground freezes. Our slow release Rootcare Fertilization formula will not promote unwanted late season growth.
• The Pruning Division is getting ready for the winter pruning season.
  • Pruning of oaks and elms starts again after the first hard frost.
  • Shrubs will be pruned until the snow depth makes it impractical to do so. Avoid shearing early spring flowering shrubs now so that the flower buds are not removed.
  • When there are no leaves on the trees it is easier to identify structural problems for correction or dead wood for removal.