Getting Trees Ready for the Summer Heat

A Magnolia tree with heat damage.

Published February 4, 2010, By ARBORILOGICAL SERVICES

We repeat over and over each season that the drought continues with the typical, unabated dry conditions. Our extended, severe drought that has been with us for the past several years has caused deep stress conditions for our trees and has killed many during the hot seasons. We have had a few hot periods this past summer but also a few breaks with lower than normal temperatures and even some good rainfall. The periodic relief may be too widespread for already drought stressed trees. Please contact us today to set up a Comprehensive Tree Management Program before the cumulative stress becomes too great for your trees.

An Arborilogical™ certified arborist can evaluate a tree’s condition well before it shows signs of stress to the untrained eye and recommend a systematic plan of treatment to get it healthy and keep it healthy. This can be accomplished at any time of the year. So now is a very good time for a tree inspection and evaluation by a certified arborist. Managed fertilization by professionals is one of the processes that may be recommended. Deep Root Fertilization is a process where a high quality nutrient solution is injected into the root zone of trees. The materials are injected into the root zone under pressure which helps aerate or provide much needed oxygen to the root system. The soil injection begins just below the surface and goes to a depth of ten to twelve inches. Soil injection sites are placed about two or three feet apart in a grid pattern throughout the canopy area out to the drip line. This type of service is best left to the experts. Misapplication of fertilizer can kill your trees. Prior to this process the tree root tissue may need analysis. This analysis is facilitated by exposing the tree/root interface with an Air-Spade tool. Our skilled, degreed arborists can fully explain the process and answer any concerns that may exist.

An extended drought is extremely hard on already stressed trees and could provide easy prey for plant pathogens and insect pests. Broken limbs from wind damage can open wounds in trees that allow entrance for infection, disease and insects.

A thorough inspection of your trees for pests, diseases, or damage is recommended in any season of the year. Trees that have been severely stressed by drought and are thus in a weakened condition, are prime targets for pathogens and harmful insect damage. Serious damage and even tissue death can result from disease or insect infestations. To help rid your trees of pests our trained staff of professional arborists teamed with our degreed pathologists can design a treatment program to effectively extend the life of your trees by eliminating pests and rehabilitating diseased tissues. These determinations are all part of active and comprehensive Maintenance/Inspection Programs that are routinely carried out by our degreed certified arborists trained on the trees of our region, their diseases and their pests. Pesticides or fungicides applied at the wrong time of day or at the wrong temperature can either damage or kill your tree. Again, it’s best to leave these critical-care processes to the professionals at Arborilogical^TM Services.

Before a tree is fully leafed out, many of the branches are exposed as well as the tree structure, so potential damage from our region’s storms, high winds, hail or lightning and even the past winter’s heavy snow can be visible. Many trees could be hiding severely damaged or broken limbs, split trunks not visible well up above the level of normal normal line-of-sight. Arborilogical’s^TM trained arborists will know the best way to remove broken branches or broken/hazard tree limbs with a minimum of harm to your tree and the surrounding environment. You should never attempt to remove branches from trees that span multiple properties or exceed your height or reach. Falling from trees while pruning dead or broken tree branches can lead to serious injury or even death. Our arborist and tree crews are expert tree climbers and have all the necessary safety gear to keep your trees properly trimmed and themselves safe and injury-free. They will remove the hazard branches from your trees safely and quickly with no injury to you, your property or your neighbor’s property. They are fully insured for your protection. Our crews can remove fallen branches, storm debris and entire downed trees from your property safely.