October

• Plant trees before the ground freezes! According to the Arbor Day Foundation, “Fall is for Tree Planting. While spring is usually the first season that comes to mind when people think of tree planting, fall is also a great time of year to successfully get trees in the ground. Mild temperatures mean less stress on seedlings and less watering for you. Also, roots begin to become established in the fall, giving young trees a little extra time to develop a strong root system before the heat of the next summer sets in.”

• Place a 4-inch layer of mulch a few inches away from the trunk to keep soil temperatures constant throughout the year, to retain soil moisture and to eliminate competitive weeds.

• Continue regular watering of newly planted trees until the ground freezes.

• Water mature deciduous and conifer trees if the ground is dry 4-6” down.

• Prune branches that are clearly dead or damaged. If a tree is showing signs of disease (e.g. galls), contact a professional regarding best time of year to remove. Sometimes pruning a diseased branch or limb will release vectors (e.g. fungus spores) and cause the disease to spread.