You’ve heard the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses.” As a significant landscape asset, have you taken time to stop and enjoy your trees? With fall color beginning to express itself, grab your favorite beverage, find a lawn chair, and enjoy your trees for a few minutes.
Ben McCallister, Purdue urban forestry specialist, also recently encouraged homeowners to take some time out of their day to sit in the shade, especially as we transition from hot summer temperatures into the cooling of autumn.
“Revel in the color changes as chlorophyll production slows revealing the carotenoids (that give us yellows, oranges, and browns) and anthocyanin (that produces reds and purples),” he said. Chlorophyll provided us with the green colors we saw throughout the year. Tannins will provide the drab brown dead leaf color.
While enjoying your trees, it’s also a good idea to check your trees for any signs of structural damage, diseases, or insect damage.
“Check leaves for dieback, discoloration, stickiness, or signs of chewing,” he said. “Check branches and the main stem for damage like splits and breaks, peeling bark, tunneling patterns under the bark, oozing wet spots, or sawdust around the tree.” He said that these could be signs of issues in the root system, pathogens like bacteria or fungal organisms, insect problems, or structural damage.
Some leaves may exhibit brown or black spots late in the year. These are largely inconsequential at this late date, as the leaves have done their job converting the sun’s energy into usable carbohydrates, and they will be falling soon. However, in these cases, it may be beneficial to rake and properly dispose of leaves to avoid sources of reinfection next year. Consider composting.
Otherwise, it’s normally a good idea to simply mow fallen leaves into the turf. Dr. Aaron Patton, Purdue turfgrass specialist, said that tree leaves (both oak and maple) can be mulched without any detrimental effects on the soil or turf and usually result in improvements in soil structure. Regular mowing during the fall will chop the leaves into small pieces and allow them to filter into the turf.
Winter time may reveal structural issues that need to be addressed. “In winter, not only can you better see damage in the canopy hidden by leaves in the growing seasons, but also the structure and architecture of the canopies in different tree species and the differences in bark textures,” McCallister said.
So, enjoy your trees, but take a little extra time to give them a more critical look over. If you see any signs of decline or damage, be sure to contact your local Extension office or an ISA Certified Arborist. If you are concerned about the safety or potential risk of trees, contact an ISA Certified Arborist with a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.
Find ISA Certified Arborists at: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist. Find McCallister’s original article at https://www.purduelandscapereport.org.