Steps To Keep Trees Healthy In The Heat

In almost every blog we’ve posted on this website, we’ve talked about the importance trees have for every living and breathing creature on this earth. We’ve also looked at a few essentials regarding tree health, transplanting and other useful things you’ll need to keep your trees healthy.

This time around, we’re going to take it a step further by giving a mini-guide into the art of keeping trees healthy, specifically in hot and humid conditions. So that you have all the fundamentals to ensure that the trees in your backyard keep survive the harsh heat of the spring and summer months. If you’re just recently transplanting a tree, you should pay extra careful attention!

Keep your trees watered

To survive, trees need to be fed with three main ingredients: sunlight, carbon dioxide and water. Since the first two are already provided in abundance, you could help your tree along by providing the third ingredient.

Within the first 2 to 3 years of being in their new homes, transplanted trees need about 15 gallons of water per week during the dry periods of summer; as much as summer rains are rampant in South Africa, they’re sometimes not enough, especially if you live in a rain-depraved regions. Just be careful not to overdo it, otherwise you could cause serious damage to your tree.

Apply mulch as often as is needed

Mulching is a great way to help your trees get all the nutrients they need to stay strong and robust. The only catch with mulching is that you should never overdo it regarding both the amount of mulch you use in one go as well as the frequency with which you mulch. We talked about mulching in depth in a previous blog, check it out here!

Careful with the weed whacking and pruning

Benign neglect is a recommended course of action when it comes to pruning your tree. Mature trees rarely need much, if any, pruning – besides removing dead or damaged branches and trimming off any suckers that take up in the bottom. Lean, crowded growth on older branches (particularly those of fruit trees), called water sprouts, should be regularly trimmed.

Mowers and weed whackers can cause a whole lot of unnecessary harm to your trees by nicking the bark and weakening the tree, creating ideal entry points for disease. Be sure to tell your mowers and whackers to take it easy around your trees – keep an eye on them if you must!

Doing nothing is actually a good thing

Luckily for you, trees can fend for themselves. Unless you have a transplanted tree that needs specific tender, loving care, you should take a step back and allow your tree to do its thing. Many trees have been around for centuries, who are you to think that they need your help to survive for a few centuries more?

Anyways, we’re overjoyed that you’ve decided to take the health of your trees more seriously. The good news? You don’t have to do it alone! If you’re in need of quality mulch, or you’d like to transplant another tree on your yard, we’re here for you. Get in touch with us today to get started!