Daylight Savings Time Is Here
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Every year Daylight Savings sneaks up on us. We're here to provide you with a reminder to help ensure you aren't the person that forgets to change their clocks and has a tough start to their day.
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This Sunday evening before you go to bed
NOVEMBER 3rd don't forget to set your clock BACKWARD one hour.
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With recent winter storms and temperatures dropping into the single digits over the past month our landscape is stressed. This is a great time to consider some basic winter tips for your dormant trees, once the snow melts of course.
- Wrap the trunk. In Colorado, thin-barked trees like Honeylocust, Maple and Linden are susceptible to sunscald and frost cracks because of drastic winter temperature fluctuations. To prevent bark damage, wrap the trunks of younger trees up to the first branches using commercial tree wrap. Leave the wrap on until early April.
- Mulch the base. Apply 2 to 3 inches of wood chips, bark or other organic mulch near the base of the tree, but not against it, to reduce soil evaporation, improve water absorption and insulate against temperature extremes.
- Recycle leaves. Instead of bagging up autumn leaves, consider layering them around the base of each tree as mulch, or blend them into the yard with a mulching mower to retain nutrients. (This excludes any diseased tree leaves found in fruit trees.)
- Give trees a good drink. On days it is warmer than 42 degrees, water trees in the area extending from the trunk to the extent of the longest branches. Water slowly, with a soaker hose, at the rate of 10 gallons per inch of tree diameter. Contact Autumn Tree Lawn and Landscape for deep root winter watering applications throughout the winter.
- Focus on younger trees. With less-extensive root systems, they require the most care.
- Pruning this time of year is recommended. Snowy, icy, windy, and dry days can cause havoc on trees turning them into hazards.
- Fire-safe your landscape: Prune trees so the lowest branch is no fewer than eight feet from the ground. Remove flammable plants that are within 30 feet of your home. Keep firewood stacked at a safe distance from plants, buildings and flammable materials. Keep grass and weeds short.
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How Fluctuating Temperatures Affect Trees
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When temperatures drop below a plant’s natural tolerance, trees and plants can sustain damage. Trees or plants that are on the edge of their hardiness zone may not be able to withstand those record-cold days. Temperature fluctuations can also cause problems, such as frost cracks, which result from a sharp drop in temperature. Frost cracks are vertical cracks that form in the bark of a tree. They occur more often on the sun-facing side of the tree due to the greater variance between daytime and night time temperatures. Sunscald is a similar injury which causes an area of damaged bark resulting from warming of that area by the sun. Often frost cracks and sunscald only cause superficial damage. In these cases the tree or plant will recover, though the injury itself may be permanent. Did you know that trees can get frostbite? Frost forms when humidity in the air combines with near- or below-freezing temperatures. This can be problematic if a tree or plant is actively growing or producing. Frostbite shows up on trees or plants as brown or black flowers, buds, leaves, or fruit. New leaves and shoots will often twist, curl, or wilt in frost conditions. If you are unsure about specific damage, Autumn Tree Lawn & Landscape is always available to help you assess the health of your trees.
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Preventing Emergency Tree Service
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There are ways to help prepare your trees for winter. Preparing your trees helps ensure your trees are safe but also keeps your home and family safe from falling limbs and other dangers.
Check for dead or hanging limbs. Dead and hanging limbs are a huge danger and should be taken very seriously. The buildup of stress from the severe weather can leave a tree hazardous. Extreme wind and snow build up can damage a tree and break limbs free. If a tree is already distressed then winter weather can be the final straw for that tree. You can avoid the risk by having your tree inspected and cared for by Autumn Tree Lawn & Landscape each year. The inspection will assess the tree for problematic limbs or branches and how to remedy any issues.
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Battling Fire Blight
The Arborists at Autumn Tree Lawn and Landscape have begun pruning many of the trees that became infected with fire blight earlier last season. Fire blight is a disease caused by bacterium. This bacterium can attack more than 75 species of trees and shrubs including: Apple, Pear, Quince, Mountain Ash, Crabapple, Hawthorn, Cotoneaster, Serviceberry, and Pyracantha. The bacteria enters plants through wounds and natural openings. As the bacteria grows inside the tree, it clogs up vascular tissue and can lead to branch dieback and eventual death.
The dormant season offers us the chance to effectively prune infected trees while greatly reducing the risk of further spreading the disease. We have already met with many of our clients regarding their infected trees. The window for pruning only last a few months so it is very important to make sure you are set up for the necessary pruning. Our Arborists are available to meet with you to inspect your trees, and help you develop a program that will take advantage of the winter pruning season.
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Take advantage of our 10% winter discount by scheduling winter services today!
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Bill's Tree Fact Spotlight
The OGs of carbon dioxide sequestration -- Trees! Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO
2
), removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air.
During one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange.
Trees help clear our air. Help improve our air quality by planting trees.
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Autumn Tree wishes You
& Your Family a
Happy Thanksgiving!
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