Dog Days of Summer
It seems our summers are getting hotter and much dryer with each passing year. Call it what you may, global warming or just plain hot and dry, but whatever it is, it’s time to pull out the hoses and water your trees, especially the newly planted ones and the old ones as well. During these dry times, the older trees should be watered weekly while trees that are 2 to 6 years old, should be watered 3 times a week. It is best to water early in the morning so that the root ball can be soaked.
When it comes to your bigger, more mature trees, place the hose next to the trunk and run it for a couple of hours if you can. Any amount you can give to the older trees will be very helpful. The best way to check if they need water is with a screwdriver. You will know if it is dry when you try to stick the screwdriver in the ground. A good measure for watering your trees is about 10 gallons of water per one inch of trunk diameter every week. The bigger trees should always be measured at breast height.
Have you ever wondered why there are brown leaves on smaller, newly planted trees that you assume would be green and healthy? That is caused by drought stress. If you see any of your trees with leaves that are browning, it is not too late — start watering now! After you water them, your trees will most likely drop those leaves and produce new, smaller ones. Another sign of drought stress is that the trees will try and go dormant early. This usually happens with Gum and Sassafras trees.
Another thing to keep in mind is that with these very hot days, there are also a lot of strong storms moving through the region. If we have not been to your property for a free inspection of your trees, then you should make an appointment now so that one of our ISA Certified Arborists can schedule a time to visit your property. These summer storms can weaken the root structure or crack some of the major limbs and without a trained eye, you will never notice it until it’s too late.
Stay cool and enjoy your summer, but please, remember to water your trees.
Best,
Jim Donegan