The State of Our Trees – The rains have slowed and the sun has come out!
Our office has been flooded over the past week with questions such as “what is wrong with my tree”? Many Honey Locust, Ash and Elm trees seem like they will never leaf out. Over the last year there have been several major events that have impacted the health of our trees.
- First, in May and June of last year, devastating hail storms hit many parts of Colorado Springs, stripping trees of their leaves. This caused trees to utilize their reserves to push out a second set of leaves.
- Second, on November 10th, after a warm October, temperatures plummeted to zero degrees and below. Many trees were not hardened off or prepared for winter temperatures. We have seen many Pines and evergreens with discolored foliage. Plums, Apricots, Cherries, Peaches and Willows are seemingly dead. Forsythias, Cotoneasters, Spireas, Euonymus, Privet, Boxwoods and other shrubs have died.
- Third, this has been a record breaking wet and cool May of 2015. These cool temperatures coupled with frost and hail have slowed leaf expansion for many trees in Colorado Springs. Our recommendations are to wait a few weeks and see how your trees leaf out. Insects that are emerging may be more damaging to new leaves and already stressed trees.
Mountain High can help you decide what pruning and insect controls you might need. Call our Colorado Springs Office at 719-444-8800 if you have questions about your trees.