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Northern Gardening: Tree care tips during drought

After several weeks of hot weather and insignificant rainfall, many trees are showing signs of stress due to drought.
Northern Gardening

After several weeks of hot weather and insignificant rainfall, many trees are showing signs of stress due to drought.

Symptoms include any of the following: wilted foliage; a sparse canopy of small, off-colour leaves; browning of leaves or leaf margins; yellowing and premature fall coloration; and leaf drop.

Trees suffering drought are more susceptible to insects and diseases, especially borers.

To help your stressed trees it is important to water correctly, sufficiently and over the entire root zone. A sprinkler or soaker hose can cover a large area and will allow for slow absorption rather than pooling of water. Keep in mind that the root zone can extend well beyond the canopy of the tree, and most of the roots are in the top 12 to 18 inches of soil.

With a sprinkler you can use a rain gauge to measure the amount of water. Provide two inches of water every five to seven days over the root zone of mature trees. Young or new trees require slow deep watering every two to three days.

Grass below trees competes for water, so if there is grass present, more water is required. The water needs to get through the turf before it can reach tree roots.

Removing some turf from around trees and replacing it with mulch helps with water absorption and water retention. Use lawn edging to prevent the grass from growing back in, and keep the mulch two to three inches away from the bark of the tree.

Soil type also affects the requirement of water. A sandy soil will require more frequent watering, while a clay soil will retain water longer, but is more likely to allow water to pool with very limited penetration.

Do not prune drought-stressed trees or shrubs and do not fertilize. Fertilizer uses water, which is then not available to the tree roots.

Continue watering drought-stressed trees until freeze-up, depending on fall rains, of course. Use a rain gauge for rainfall to help determine if and how much watering is required to maintain two inches every five to seven days. The same symptoms and care procedures apply to shrubs as well as trees. The trees, at least, would welcome a long, gentle rain.

Horticulturalist Mary Wright has lived in Denare Beach for over 20 years. She shares her passion for gardening with Flin Flon readers in The Reminder.

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