Experienced gardeners, landscapers and arborists alike know that the fall is the busy season for a reason. It’s the right time for most planting and transplanting work, as well as serious pruning and other major maintenance tasks. It’s also the time to reinforce, nourish and prepare trees to weather the colder and potentially stormy winter months intact.

Considering how important this season is for tree management and services, it’s easy to see how a problem arising during this time could easily become an emergency. In fact, there are a few common problems that virtually any property owner could face in the months leading up to winter. You can’t always prevent these issues, but you need to know how to recognize and address them if they do develop.

Dead or Dying Trees

There are a lot of ways that trees can die, ranging from the simple consequences of old age to getting hit by a car. No matter the cause, a dying tree is simply not safe to let alone long-term. Snow and ice accumulation can easily bring more of the tree down during the winter, and inclement weather can complicate emergency tree services. Removal of these trees should be considered an urgent matter if they are anywhere near people or property.

Sudden Infection or Infestation

The weeks leading up to the first frost are the most important for trees as they store nutrients and undergo a biological transformation to prepare for the changing season. Sudden onset of a bacterial disease or fungal infection of the roots or foliage can be disastrous. Addressing these concerns requires skill and care due to trees’ need to preserve as many resources as possible to handle the coming winter.

Damage From Encroaching Roots

Encroaching roots can also become a real emergency for homeowners, especially right before winter. As trees mature, their roots can spread a great distance and grow into structures or infrastructure. Infiltration of plumbing pipes, sewer lines and the septic field can completely disrupt the function of these systems. For most people, this constitutes an emergency.

While there’s nothing professional arborists can do for damage to a plumbing system, they can be instrumental in preventing it from continuing. If a tree needs to be removed to stop this infiltration, it should be done before the ground is hard and the air is cold.

Get Your Trees Ready for Winter

It’s best to identify any tree emergencies and deal with them now before winter sets in. If you live in Medford, OR, call us at L&J Tree Service for emergency solutions and more information about our services. We’ll do our best to help you keep your trees safe, healthy, and growing in the right direction.