Autumn Agenda

​​As many of you know, Autumn is a great time for planting. The temperatures have cooled which means your trees will benefit from reduced transplanting stress. Plus, you can get by with a little less watering. Here are a few things to know about caring for trees in the fall:

Protect:
We get asked all the time, which trees and shrubs do deer stay away from? The simple answer is, none! If hungry enough, they will browse just about anything, and they certainly don’t discriminate when it comes to antler-rubbing. So with that in mind, if you haven’t already done so, you need to get your trunk protectors on your trees! Young trees have very thin bark and can be easily and irreparably damaged by critters. Even if you think you don’t have deer in your neighborhood, other delinquents such as rabbits and voles can become desperate enough to gnaw off bark. Protecting your trees can be as simple as installing one of our trunk protectors. They are a rigid plastic mesh that doesn’t cost much and takes 10 seconds to install. Our trunk protectors can actually be left on year-round because they don’t actually touch the trunks. Other tree wraps and “protectors” should be removed in the spring because they and don’t allow the growing trunks to expand plus they can hold in moisture which can be damaging.

​For shrubs, or If you live on an acreage, wooded lot, or the edge of town where there are sure to be ravenous deer, you may just want to fence them completely. Expert tip: make the fence wider and taller than you think, deer are tall and can reach a long way, so 3’ tall chicken wire will not do the trick.

Fertilizing:
Yes, you can fertilize in the fall! The trick is to wait until the plants start to go dormant around mid-October before applying fertilizer, because you don’t want to flush out tender new shoots and leaves just before the cold hits.  Allow the plants to begin dormancy, then apply. The roots will still be actively taking in and storing nutrients even after the leaves have fallen off. The extra nutrients will be available in the following spring which gives your plants head start for the new growing season. If you have already purchased and have been using our Root & Grow fertilizer through early fall, no worries. The formulation is designed for root development, so it is low in nitrogen, and is safe to use this time of year.

​A Note on Perennials: Let foliage die back before cutting back. If you are planting late, you may need to add a layer of mulch in late fall or early winter to prevent frost heaving. Just remember to remove any coverings like mulch in early spring to avoid rotting.
 
…So grab yourself a PSL (pumpkin spice latte) to go, and come on out to the tree farm!