3 Ways To Help Your Trees Beat The Summer Heat While Conserving Water

Summer temperatures can take a toll on the health of the trees in your landscape. This is especially true if you live in a drought-prone area where water use is strictly regulated.

The good news is that there are some simple things that you can do to help your trees beat the summer heat while still conserving water. Use these three tips to help your trees thrive this summer.

1. Add Some Mulch

Proper mulching can make a big difference in the way summer temperatures affect your trees.

You should apply a liberal layer of mulch around each tree in your yard. Leave some space between the mulch and the base of your trees, since allowing the mulch and tree trunk to come into contact with one another could lead to rot or decay.

Mulch is designed to help conserve the moisture that is in your soil. This is done by increasing water infiltration and slowing down the rate of evaporation. As an added bonus, mulch can also insulate your tree's roots against the summer heat, which can promote overall tree health.

2. Practice Deep Watering

It's always best to use deep watering techniques when caring for your trees during the summer months. Deep watering is essentially the process whereby water is applied directly to the root zone of a tree.

Since it's the roots that help distribute water throughout the rest of the tree, making the water you apply directly accessible to the roots can help relieve stress.

Deep watering utilizes less water over time. Evaporation rates in a tree's root zone are much slower than the rates in the first few inches of soil. If you invest in deep watering equipment, you can successfully hydrate your trees while still conserving water.

3. Prune Strategically

Many people think that trees should only be pruned during the fall and winter months. While pruning when a tree is dormant is usually the best option, you can strategically prune your trees during the summer months to help promote healthy growth.

Summer pruning can be especially beneficial for flowering trees since these trees will have finished blooming by the time summer rolls around.

Keep an eye out for any dead, diseased, or damaged branches within the canopies of your trees. These branches should be pruned away to help minimize stress and prevent your tree from dedicating precious water resources to damaged areas. For more information, contact a tree service near you.

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