This is a great day.
84 degrees and I am BBQing in my back yard.
But, it is odd for it to be this warm this early in Stumptown. .
The warm weather and the high wind brought to mind trees and how they need our help in the heat.
(My prediction is that we are in for a dry dry year. But I am likely wrong and will save those predictions for the folks that get it wrong and get paid for it... meteorologists.)
Here are some things to know about our urban trees and drought stress:
(Thanks to the
TCIA and Mr.B.M.G. Watson for the timely article.)
Trees, Heat and H2O
Any 1st grader will tell you that trees and plants need water. Trees are mostly water and CO2. That is how they move elements (tree food), photosynthesis and other operations.
Water also gives turgid pressure that keeps the leaf rigid and "cools" the tree.
If your leaf is wilted, chances are the water the tree needs is not available and the tree has been stressed for a while. Maybe too long.
What can you do to help the tree during the hot weather and not get to the wilting point?
Water, water, water. Especially new trees and trees near pavement, structures and roadways. The heat from road and driveway surfaces is hard on a tree.
How much to water?
A general rule is to water 5 gallons per inch of diameter.
Or, if you don't have the time to calibrate that, try 5 minutes of sprinkler watering for every inch of tree diameter.
For example, you have a 15 inch diameter maple that will then need 75 minutes of watering.
Get rid of your grass.
Green grass is nice for a picnic. But trees and grass don't get along. Your tree needs as much room around the trunk as you can live with. Then fill in this space with mulch.
Mulch mulch and mulch.
Mulch helps retain soil moisture, provide organic matter and help with soil conditioning. (I wrote about this recently.)