Protecting Your Trees During a Drought
When drought hits, tree protection should be near the top of your list when it comes to caring for your landscape. Trees weakened by drought may be especially susceptible to damage from storms in the fall and winter seasons. Water is the obvious solution to tree drought protection, but in situations where the water supply is limited, you can still provide tree protection by watering smartly with what you have available.
How do you know if your trees are being affected by hot, dry weather? Scorched and wilted leaves are the top signs of trees that are being stressed by lack of water. Trees emit water vapor from pores on their leaves regularly. When the roots can’t refresh this water, the leaves wilt and become scorched.
Young trees are the most susceptible to drought and will usually need regular watering in times where there isn’t adequate rainfall. Older trees have expansive root systems that can bring water in from a much wider area, but you still might need to provide extra water in severe conditions.
For tree drought protection, observe the following tips:
– Don’t water during the hottest part of the day
– Keep an eye on when a tree needs water and where
– Add a mulch layer at the base to keep water from evaporating too quickly.