🌞 Late Summer Tree Care: What You Can Do (and When to Call an Arborist)

Written By Jonathan Faille

Late summer is one of the most overlooked but important times to care for your trees. As the heat eases and autumn creeps closer, it’s the perfect window to check in on tree health, prevent future issues, and ensure your trees stay strong through fall and winter.

Here's what you can do yourself — and what a certified arborist can help with.

✅ What You Can Do Yourself

💧 1. Deep Watering (Especially After a Dry Summer)

If your trees have faced drought or long hot spells, they may be under stress. Give them a deep, slow watering — especially younger or recently planted trees.

  • Focus on the drip line (the outer edge of the branches), not the trunk.

  • Water early in the morning or in the evening to minimize evaporation.

🍂 2. Check for Signs of Stress

Look for:

  • Wilting, scorched, or curling leaves

  • Early leaf drop

  • Cracked bark or dead branches

  • Fungal growths or visible pests

Spotting problems now can help prevent long-term damage.

🧹 3. Clean Up Around the Base

  • Clear away fallen leaves, broken branches, or built-up debris around trunks.

  • Reapply mulch (2–4 inches thick), but keep it away from the trunk to avoid rot.

  • If your soil looks dry or depleted, a little compost can help nourish the roots.

✂️ 4. Light Touch-Up Pruning

You can safely remove:

  • Small dead or broken branches

  • Any limbs that are rubbing together

  • Overgrowth blocking walkways or driveways

Just remember: avoid heavy pruning in late summer — save that for dormant months.

🌳 What an Arborist Can Help With

🩺 1. Professional Health Assessment

If you're seeing signs of stress or something just feels off, a certified arborist can:

  • Check the canopy, bark, and root health

  • Identify pests or disease

  • Recommend tailored care based on tree species and site conditions

⚠️ 2. Danger Tree Assessment

Late summer is a smart time to assess risk before fall storms hit.
An arborist can:

  • Evaluate leaning or damaged trees

  • Spot structural weaknesses

  • Help you decide whether pruning, cabling, or removal is needed

✂️ 3. Structural & Safety Pruning

A trained arborist knows exactly what to cut, when, and how — without damaging the tree.

  • Crown thinning to improve air flow

  • Deadwood removal high in the canopy

  • Clearing branches from roofs or power lines

📝 4. Certified Arborist Reports

If you're applying for permits, building, or managing land use, an arborist can prepare the professional documentation you need to meet local regulations.

🌲 Keep Your Trees Thriving, Safely

Healthy trees don’t just look beautiful — they’re safer, stronger, and more resilient heading into fall and winter. Whether you're caring for a backyard maple, an aging cedar, or an entire forested lot, late summer is the right time to act.

If you're unsure what your trees need, we’re happy to take a look.

🛠 Book a late summer check-up with Creek Tree Services

We offer:

  • Certified Arborist Assessments

  • Danger Tree Evaluations

  • Pruning, removals & honest, expert advice

  • Serving Roberts Creek and the Sunshine Coast

Jonathan Faille