Remember February, when we were all freezing, waiting for summer to come? Well it’s here now and it’s humid! Here at LEAF we’ve wrapped up our spring planting season and are looking forward to enjoying the summer -- part of which involves making sure all those baby trees we just planted (and those that came before them) are in good shape to make it through the hot months ahead. We thought we’d put together a list of care tips for your trees this season remembering that trees feel the heat just like we do!
Tip #1: Mulch those trees!
Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil and decreases the growth of weeds around your tree. The best mulch material is all natural wood chips, free from dye and preservatives. The rule on mulch is to apply an 8 centimetre thick layer around the tree trunk as far out from the base as you can go. Shaping the mulch like a doughnut, and ensuring that it does not touch the base of the trunk, will allow the tree to breathe and prevent potential rot. Something to note if you are considering placing rocks around your tree in place of mulch: stones can retain heat and reflect it back up at your tree, increasing the heat it will have to handle. Natural wood mulch is a great choice because it will also decompose and give your tree a natural nutrient boost, so you can avoid harsh fertilizers and chemicals.
Tip #2: Protect that bark!
Hanging, nailing or tying things onto your tree can damage its bark and affect the flow of nutrients within the tree. Summer is also the season of lawn care, meaning lawnmowers and weed-whackers -- the archenemies of trees. Make sure you avoid the base of your tree when doing your yard clean up. This brings up another big advantage to mulching (as if you needed another, I know!): it gives you a nice buffer between the tree’s trunk and your grass. Summer is also the time for the city’s wildlife to run wild, so if you notice scratch or bite marks on the trunk you may wish to purchase a retractable guard to wrap around the base to deter critters from climbing or damaging your tree.
The last and most important tip we can offer is,
Tip #3: WATER!!!
As you’ll probably recall reading in our planting and care guide, trees require regular watering for the first 3 years after planting. Lack of water is actually the number one cause of tree death, so it is very important to make sure your tree is getting enough. Our recommended watering method is to give your tree a good deep soak. To do that it’s best to start your soaker hose at the base of your tree and wrap it around it in a spiral to get all of the surrounding area for an hour twice a week. If you do not have a soaker hose you can leave a regular hose on a very very slow trickle at the base of the tree for 15 minutes, again twice a week. What if it rains? Well the amount of rainfall may not be enough to quench your tree’s thirst and it may still need additional watering. To be certain if your tree requires watering check under the mulch (remember tip #1): if the soil is warm and dry your tree needs a drink. If it is damp and moist you can probably wait to water. Over-watering is just a deadly to a tree as under-watering, so make sure to check the soil before watering!
For mature trees (yes, they need to be watered too), you can place a soaker hose under their canopy and leave it on a slow soak for a few hours every couple of weeks. When watering mature trees with a regular hose, leave it on a very slow trickle for an hour once a week as well -- just be sure to move the hose throughout the hour to different spots under the canopy to make sure entire area is well watered. We want to get all those roots nice and refreshed!
Keep a watchful eye for signs of stress and armed with these tips you and your trees should have a fantastic summer together!
LEAF’s Backyard Tree Planting Program is supported by Ontario Power Generation, York Region and The City of Markham. Amy Fedrigo is the Residential Planting Programs Assistant at LEAF.