As the temperature rises, it's common for even mature trees to feel stressed. If you are worried about the health of the trees in your yard this summer, here are some tips to help you.
Fertilise your tree
One of the best way to get your tree through summer actually starts before summer. A healthy tree with good nutrient support is best placed to get through the summer. You should also get your tree serviced by an arborist before summer to get rid of any dead or damaged wood, which take up a large amount of the tree's energy to try and maintain and repair. You may need to tweak the fertiliser mix you use over the hotter months to help your tree deal with the heat.
Channel heat away from the base of the tree
With a denser population and a growing tendency to pave outdoor areas, there are often less pieces of greenery in backyard to absorb some of the heat. You can take some steps to minimise the heat island effect and help to reflect heat away from the base of your trees. Make sure your backyard has lots of light colours and native plants to help absorb some of the heat, so that the large trees don't need to deal with as much ambient heat.
Use below ground watering and mulching
While you need to water your tree, the high temperatures of the Australian summer can make the water quickly evaporate. Try watering on a timer in the coolest part of the morning, and mulch around the base of the tree to minimise evaporation. You can also use under ground watering systems, as this water is quicker and easier for the trees to absorb and less prone to evaporation.
Recognise the early signs of heat stress
All trees show the side effects of heat stress is slightly different ways, but common symptoms include leaf yellowing, leaves dropping off and growing uncommon thorns. If you see these symptoms, it's well worth calling the tree service company early to get some assistance with extra watering, soil wetting and other servicing to help your tree cope.
Some early preparation can help your tree to cope with the stresses of summer and keep providing you with beautiful shade for another year. Keeping an eye on your tree can help you to get quick help if it does start to suffer from heat stress.
Share24 November 2015
Seeing a tree die can be sad, especially if it's the only shade tree in your yard, a tree you grew up climbing or a once bountiful fruit tree. However, surprisingly, many trees that people seem to give up on can actually be saved. I hate the idea of anyone losing a tree, so I decided to start a blog. This blog is going to have tips I have learned as a lifelong gardener as well as things I have learned while researching trees and botany in general. I hope you like these posts and that they eventually help you save a few trees!
