Take care of your trees.

The weather during June speaks for itself. As we watched fires burn all over the state, we prayed for the homes and lives of our friends and families. The images on TV have been difficult to watch. We are in the midst of a record setting summer with extremely high temperatures and practically zero natural precipitation. These conditions take their toll on our landscapes as the relentless heat continues.

These difficult weather conditions result in obvious stress to our plants. This stress is the result of dry soil conditions which quickly kills the developing roots which are responsible for water and nutrient uptake. As the supply of resources declines, the effects are seen in the canopy of the trees. Operations in the leaf tissue will soon begin to shut down. Leaf color will fade from the deep green of spring to a faded yellow. As the sun beats down on the fading leaves, they will quickly show a browning from the scorching conditions.

Some of our tree species, such as Hackberry, will slow their own growth as the weather conditions worsen. These trees have developed this defense mechanism in order to protect sensitive root and leaf tissue. Their pseudo-dormancy allows them to temporarily shut down until the extreme weather conditions subside. Unfortunately, most plant species don’t have this ability, so it is imperative to adjust your watering schedule to keep plants hydrated in the same fashion that we keep ourselves hydrated.

If you have not yet increased either the frequency or duration of your watering schedule this summer then you are headed for the certainty of stressed or damaged plants. If you have questions about developing the most effective and efficient watering schedule give us a call so we can help. Enjoy your summer, but don’t forget to take care of your trees!

Pest update: With the high summer temperatures coming early this season and the consistency of the extremely hot days, we have noticed steady increases in the populations of many insects including aphids, mites, plant bugs, Japanese beetles, and various scale species. Be sure to walk around your property and monitor pest populations. Properly timed treatments will help to reduce the stress level on your plants during the difficult summer conditions that lay ahead.

We can help you with your heat damaged trees, click here to send us an estimate request, or call us at 303.232.0666.