Caring for Trees in the Summer Heat

As you care for your lawn during the hot summer months, don't forget about your trees. Just like your lawn, trees require year-round maintenance and care, even when they're dormant, but never more so than during the hot months. Water is the single most limiting essential resource for tree survival and growth. Drought conditions can lead to tree decline, pest problems, and non-recoverable damage. Mother nature will do part of the work, but supplemental watering can greatly assist in maintaining tree health during droughts. Chad Tolle, Ideal's director of customer care, shares these simple tips to keep your trees healthy and beautiful: 1. How: Long soaking applications are preferable to multiple short waterings. The best way to water trees are by soaker hose or trickle (drip) irrigation. Simply place your garden hose at the bottom of your tree and let it run at a trickle. Gator Bags can also be used for newly planted trees with trunks up to 4 inches in diameter. They provide deep water saturation and help reduce transplant shock and drought stress. 2. When: The best time to water is late evening or early morning. Most of all, avoid the heat of the day for watering, and also make sure you water the base of the tree and not the leaves which could cause the leaves to burn and wilt. 3. How Much: Depending on the season, one to three inches, two times a week should keep a tree healthy. You can achieve this by watering for about 25-30 minutes on a slow trickle. These watering tips should also help to keep your root system growing downward instead of coming to the surface to find water during drought conditions.