Summer
With the temperature rising in the summer, it is important to prepare a summer tree care plan so trees can handle the heat. Below are a few do and don’ts for maintaining trees in summer.
Water your Trees Regularly
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For effective summer tree care, it is important to water trees regularly. Watering should be done while focusing on the root zone. Watering in the morning is recommended to avoid evaporation. It will also help trees to deal with the heat during the course of the day. Newly planted trees need regular and consistent watering until root systems establish.
But Don’t Overwater:
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Excessive watering could be detrimental to trees. Excessive water in the soil leads to clogging and poor soil aeration. Check the soil for dampness before watering because if it rained recently then you don’t need to water that day. Make a schedule for watering.
Mulch:
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Mulching helps to conserve soil moisture and stabilize temperature. The proper method of mulching is to spread it throughout the radius of the root zone. The material of choice for mulching is shredded hardwood. Mulch should be 3-4 inches thick. Mulch should be kept fresh by raking the top layer or replacing old mulch with new mulch.
Practice Fertilization:
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Fertilizers help trees to stay healthy. Fertilization gives strength and resistance to disease and insects. Fertilization also provides important nutrients, supports tree growth, and contributes to the overall health and vitality of trees.
Carry Out Frequent Pest Inspections:
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Warm summer weather is optimal for pest growth. Pests such as lace bugs, root rot, magnolia scale, sawflies, bagworms, Japanese beetles, wilt, and spider mites are common in summer. It is important that you find tree experts to help identify pests and kill them.
Prune Your Trees When Needed
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Tree pruning in the summer is usually done because of the fast growth in summer. Summer’s warm weather helps in identifying defective parts of a tree. When pruning, only dead or infected branches should be removed. Pruning of broken limbs prevents the spread of disease to other parts. Summer pruning can also be done to reduce the growth of branches or trees.
Don’t Over Prune:
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Properly pruned trees will encourage further growth of the trees. However, excessive pruning could also expose a tree to sun scalding and stress since trees rely on leaves for food. Seek the services of professionals who can discern what can be pruned or not.
Cable The Unstable Parts of The Tree:
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Summer storms are hazardous for trees and neighboring properties. Consult the services of an arborist to determine whether trees on your property pose any danger to vehicles and structures in your compound. Cabling can also help in curbing excessive shedding of twigs and leaves during summer.
Watch out for Signs of Heat Stress:
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Landscaping materials such as water surfaces, structures, glass, block walls, and closed air-tight containers can intensify heat stress on trees. It is therefore important that you carefully evaluate the choice of materials used in landscaping. Some materials used for mulching like decomposed granite are heat absorbent and cause heat stress.
Summer tree care is a routine that’s valuable to adopt. Along with being refreshing and environmentally friendly, trees are a good addition to any yard as they help in raising the value of your home and property. Providing good tree care also ensures that trees have a long lifespan for you and others to enjoy in the coming years.