How Drought Affects Your Trees
Georgia has always been known for extreme weather conditions, humid summers, sudden changes in temperature and more!
This year we have been experiencing a major drought in the area which spiked the conversation about the most common issue our certified Arborist’s have been running into while out inspecting jobs this year.
The dry soil and hot conditions can majorly affect the life span and health of your trees in Grayson. We have listed a few symptoms of trees under drought stress so you can properly identify the source.
Yellowing Leaves
Leaf Droppings
Leaf Scorch/Burn
Shriveled Leaves
Small Leaves
Early Fall Color
Trees typically prepare for winter by producing photosynthates in order to harden off properly and be able to survive through winter.
The problem with drought, is the tree will not have enough energy or nutrients to do this properly which could kill the tree through the winter conditions.
It is important to have your trees properly assessed by a Certified Arborist in Grayson to detect any signs of drought stress.
In the meantime, here are a few tips you can do to help save your trees!
Water correctly.
It’s important to be on a consistent watering schedule, as this can heavily impact the health of your trees. Watering bags offer a slow and consistent drip system at a very low cost for your trees. If you don’t have access to watering bags, a standard rule of thumb is to water for 45 seconds per tree, every two to three days. It’s important to not allow the root zone, which extends well past the canopy to dry out.
Prune back dead branches.
Leaving dead and dying branches on trees can induce more stress on the tree which is why it is important to have a tree trimming in Grayson service regularly prune your limbs. Make sure you perform proper pruning on your tree especially in a time of drought because the tree will not be able to heal the trimming wounds if they are done incorrectly.
Avoid fertilizing.
Most fertilizers contain large amounts of salt, which will burn the roots if there isn’t enough water available. It’s best to avoid fertilizing the tree al together and call a tree expert in Grayson to properly assess your trees.
Don’t resort to removals.
Trees have a funny way of tricking us about their actual health conditions. A tree that looks completely dead could be in good health and a tree that looks perfect could have a hollow, diseased trunk. A certified Arborist is the only way to properly assess the health of your trees and advise a plan to combat the drought stress without removing the tree all together.
If your concerned about your trees in Grayson, give us a call today to get started on a plan with a certified Arborist.