It’s that time of year when leaves start changing color, the weather cools off, and the sounds of a football game echo throughout your home. At Camelot, we welcome Fall as the ideal time to assess your landscape and treat problems that will surely progress by next season. Below we have listed some of our most common services and treatments for Autumn.
Compost Tea
Compost Tea is a natural organic fertilizer made from compost that gives bacteria, fungi and protozoa, etc. an opportunity to increase. The soluble nutrients from compost extraction lead to natural growth underground that ultimately result in thicker, greener and overall healthier trees and plants. Other benefits include a reduction in water loss in the soil, improved tillage due to better soil structure, and reducting the potential effects of herbicides, chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers.
Deep Root Feeding
Deep Root Feeding is a slow fertilizer that allows your trees to replenish nutrients lost from the harsh summer months while simultaneously defending against insects, disease and inclement weather. The process of injecting formulated fertilization straight into the ground around a tree’s base to spread across the roots is crucial for allowing trees to simultaneously heal and grow.
This treatment stimulates healthy growth, leading to a stronger root system, and refills vital vitamins and nutrients (as part of a time-release effect) that lasts for months. That is why fall is a perfect time for this treatment, as you can expect positive results to last into the winter season.
Air Spading
Air spading refers to the process of gently correcting tree root and plant shrub issues by using compressed air to loosen soil. The process is akin to “beating” a pillow to spread the fluff. And while anybody can realistically engage in this process, using shovels or other tools to manually spread and “break apart” soil can lead to unlikely and negative effects — including the damaging of roots or utility lines, which causes bigger problems to a homeowner.
The compressed air breaks up soil in a safe and efficient manner and can be utilized for any number of reasons including breaking up compacted soil that has obstructed proper water and nutrient flow to the root system; untangling the messiest of roots, assessing and correcting girdling roots; checking for rot beneath the surface; or removing soil around the root collar.
Aeration de-compacts the soil, allowing more space for the pores containing water and oxygen and creates drainage for excess water to run away from the roots, avoiding saturation and decay. In essence, the spading process is related to positive rejuvenation. While the area is loosened this is the prime time to add missing organic material and nutrients back into the soil. We have the ability to add whatever nutrients in which the area is deficient and/or incorporate compost into the soil.
Annual Scouting Visit
Early Fall is the best time to assess the health of your landscape because of the amount of information that can be collected and because autumn is the time to provide services that will have the greatest impact for long – term benefits. Scouting includes:
- Identification of plant material
- Examination of plant material and determination of plant health
- Identification of abnormalities
- Cause of plant problems due to insect, disease or abiotic disorders.
- Soil type and soil health (a soil analysis for nutrient levels and PH is highly recommended).
- Plant location and any activity or other factors that have the potential to affect the health of your plants.
- Gathering any history about the landscape that may have an effect on the plant.
Prepare your landscape for the harsh Winter and have it in great shape once Spring rolls around again. Our board-certified master arborists are ready to help your landscape thrive. Call today to get on our schedule!
