Wednesday 3 October 2018

Help Your Trees Survive Summer

Trees can take care of its own business. They flourished and filled the planet for centuries and they had no problem with that. At times, it was difficult because of natural disasters and seasonal changes. Some trees die and the stronger one survives. It is the cycle of life. If you care about the environment, then you should do something about it. If you don’t think anything about it yet, then now is the best time to do so seeing how big of a problem global warming and climate change has become. They are now sad realities of our times that endangers the survival of our species in the coming years.

How can we prevent such a grim scenario to happen? Simple. Plant trees. If you can’t, at least make it possible for existing trees to survive the harsh elements especially the skyrocketing temperatures this summer. You yourself can feel the heat but you have modern facilities and equipment to make your life bearable. Think of air conditioning, fans, and all the cool food you can eat at a time. But plants and trees don’t have that comfort since they are exposed to the heat of the sun. They may wilt and die if you fail to take care of it diligently all summer long.

Summer temps can be hard on trees, especially landscape trees in our urban areas. Signs of tree stress caused by lack of water — including dead leaves and leaf wilt — are already observable in many Oregon communities.

When trees aren't well-watered, prolonged drought eventually makes them more susceptible to problems caused by insect and disease — and consequently, a shorter life span.

Here are a few tips for keeping your trees healthy despite the heat.

Symptoms of drought

One of the first signs that a deciduous tree (a tree that loses its leaves in the winter) needs water is that its leaves begin to look dull and limp. More advanced symptoms of needing water are browning of leaves, wilting, and curling at the edges.

(Via: https://portlandtribune.com/sl/401529-297794-its-summer-time-to-deeply-water-your-trees)

Water is crucial to a tree’s survival. Having too much sunlight will not do them good this time with the temperature shooting up the roof. The only way they can outlive the hot summer months is if you regularly water them. Don’t wait for the leaves to turn yellow and brown or even for them to fall to the ground. Not only that but insects can also make their survival even more difficult and worsen the stress they have to endure all summer long.

Improve growing conditions. During drought, supplemental watering can reduce the impact of stress.

Mulching with a 2-inch deep layer of shredded hardwood from the trunk out to the dripline -- outer most branch tips -- can be a great help. Yes, that could be a big brown circle in your yard, but that is what tree experts -- certified arborists -- recommend. Mulch also prevents lawn mower and string trimmer damage to the trunk, lowers soil temperature and adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes. Some experts advocate applying a thin layer of compost in the same manner, in hopes of increasing beneficial soil microbes that live symbiotically with tree roots.

(Via: https://www.theeagle.com/news/gardening/charla_anthony/cool-plants-for-hot-times-tree-problems/article_98c4e189-7537-5d18-ba4a-e0a73da8ac01.html)

Even the way you water the trees also matter. Shallow watering likewise results in shallow rooting. Trees with shallow roots won’t be able to grow well as it can lead to future problems. Moreover, shallow watering means the tree isn’t receiving enough water. The soil has to be saturated to ensure that the water can reach deeper into the roots and really feed and nourish the plant well. Watering also depends on the type of trees grown, so you have to do your research prior to planting so you know how to care for your tree while it grows. The planet needs more trees if only to halt the rapid progress of global warming that is a threat to us all. But in case your tree is suffering from the heat, you can have it trimmed by professionals like http://www.allcleartree.com/trimming rather than risk the health of the entire tree. Better have the branches cut short then because trimming is still considered part of taking care of your tree after all.

Help Your Trees Survive Summer Read more on: The All Clear Tree Service Blog



source https://www.allcleartree.com/trimming/help-your-trees-survive-summer

No comments:

Post a Comment