Tree Care in the summer months
Do your trees need care in the summer?
On a hot summer day, there’s nothing like sitting in the backyard with friends, family, and food. Green grass and vibrant trees provide the ideal setting for a relaxing day at home. However, failing to prepare your trees and shrubs for the summer might create an unappealing sight.
Long, steamy days are synonymous with summer, as are gardens bursting with flowers and leaves. Summertime requires sunscreen, barbeques, a hammock, and a nice book, but do you know what your trees require? As summer approaches, there are a few maintenance tasks that you must do to ensure your yard is healthy.
Plants and trees use the greatest energy throughout the summer to push forth leaves and blooms, expand their root systems, and store energy reserves for the winter. Winter may seem far, but it is approaching, and your trees are preparing.
Read on for our best advice on how to keep your trees healthy and vibrant this summer and beyond.
In This Article
Types of tree care in summer
1. Mulching:
It’s not too late to mulch your trees if you didn’t get around to it this spring. Mulching trees is vital because it reduces weed competition, stabilizes soil temperatures, and aids in soil moisture conservation. Apply three to four inches of shredded hardwood mulch to trees. Mulching trees should be done in a doughnut shape around the base of the tree, rather than mounding mulch against the trunk, which fosters disease and pest problems.
2. Dead branches or limbs
Look for any branches or limbs that are dead or withering. If there are, the tree may be replenishing the limbs by diverting important nutrients away from the tree’s healthy portions. Trim limbs that are weak or damaged if you notice them. If required, get assistance from a local tree care company that can provide you with professional tree services that your trees need. Before and after every major storm, be careful to inspect your trees. In the event of another big storm, wind damage might create a nightmarish situation.
3. Watering
Summers are notorious for being hot and dry. Reduce water loss by watering low to the ground with a slow sprinkler to keep trees hydrated throughout the season. Water young trees at the base to ensure that the roots get the most water, and older trees to the canopy’s edge and beyond to ensure that the whole root base is covered. Watering trees during the coldest portions of the day, such as before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m., will help them absorb the maximum moisture.
Also, avoid overwatering. Many trees are well-equipped to withstand the summer heat, so they don’t need any more water beyond what they get from rain and groundwater. You might do some study on your local trees to discover which ones need extra maintenance.
4. Fertilization
A tree’s leaf and branch development is the consequence of sufficient nutrition. Fertilizing the soil, particularly in places where natural growth is rare, can provide the nutrients required for development while also keeping pests and illnesses out.
5. Pruning
To boost the health of your tree and stimulate vigorous development, prune it. While the optimal time to trim is while the trees are dormant (usually in the autumn and winter), it’s also a good idea to examine your trees for any dead, diseased, or damaged branches throughout the summer. Furthermore, any additional weight from the ends of branches should be removed from mature trees. Pruning flowering trees that have stopped blooming is also a good idea in the summer.
6. Inspection for Pests and Diseases
During the summer, a variety of tree pests and diseases become more prevalent. Examining trees for pests and illnesses allows you to stay one step ahead of the game, allowing you to manage any problems before they grow out of hand. Certified arborists can easily tell you whether your trees have been infected with a pest or disease.
7. Look for Warning Signs
During the summer, keep an eye on your trees for symptoms of pest infestation or illness. Trimming blooming shrubs and perennials is a common summer garden activity, so keep an eye on your trees while you’re doing it. Early detection and treatment of tree issues guarantee better results.
Look for signs and symptoms like:
- Ragged edges or holes in the leaves
- Yellowing leaves or prematurely dropping leaves that are speckled, stippled, or blotchy
- Branches or trunks that are leaking or spilling
- Curling leaves or leaves with brown or crispy edges
Contact a tree removal company if you see anything that doesn’t look right. They will help you evaluate your trees, identify the issue, and provide recommendations.
Conclusion
Taking good care of your trees provides a lot of advantages. Inspection, care, and early prevention is usually less expensive than more complicated tree removal.
Mulching and watering are two DIY summer tree maintenance techniques. Pruning, spraying, and pest inspection are all activities that should be handled by professionals because of the higher risk of risks linked with these jobs.
