We are just around the corner from cooler fall temperatures. I cannot wait for that first morning when you come outside and realize the temperature is “cool”, but we’re not there yet. Historically, September is one of the hottest months with the most tropical activity in southeast Texas. Don’t let your guard down yet. The trees still need proper watering and care, but now would be a great time to plan for the fall maintenance.

I always recommend performing a deep root fertilization to your trees in the fall or spring. I prefer the fall season because the trees are going to start growing their root systems for the fall / winter and really need that extra boost of nutrients to do so. A good tree fertilizer is injected in the ground at a depth of 6-8 inches, right in the heart of all of the roots. When doing it that way, not only are you delivering the product in the right area, but you are also aerating the soil. The benefits of both are very good. Please do not put a synthetic fertilizer in a hole and think that you have done the same. A lot of times the blend of those fertilizers contains a high salt content and kills the small fibrous roots that you are encouraging to grow by covering them with a thin layer of salt. If you want to do it yourself, you can use a well balanced organic fertilizer like the Organic Blend from The Arbor Gate, or you can use a liquid such as Ocean Harvest or Fish Emulsion. When using a liquid, you do not need to drill holes to deliver the product but it does help with the aeration of the soil.

Fall is also a great time to get your trees pruned. When hiring a company to do that operation be careful that the person you are talking to is an ISA Certified Arborist. That way you can be assured that the persons doing the work are properly trained to do the job right. You can verify that the person is certified by going to www.isa-arbor.com . On that home page there is a pull down menu to find a certified arborist in your area, or to verify credentials of an individual. Please do not just take them for their word, you can pay a high price for a bad job. The arborist should be happy to give you their certification number when requested. Mine is TX 1188-A, if you would like to check it out.

If you have any questions about this or any tree question you can always call me at 713-703-2701 for assistance. Thanks for your time and enjoy the Fall.