Heaven Contracting Talk About Looking After Your Trees in a Drought

New Zealand is undeniably experiencing drought conditions, with the result that, if possible, we need to look after our trees, by keeping an eye out for signs of tree stress in your garden. Signs of tree stress include early leaf loss, wilting or scorched leaves, and little or no autumn colour in deciduous leaves. This can impact their performance next spring, their development and growth and make them more susceptible to disease.  It’s also particularly important to look after newly planted trees.

Regarding what happens to trees in a drought, about 50% of a tree’s living weight is water.  When there’s less water in the soil the trees have less moisture to convert into glucose, and this shortens the growing season, and when heavily stressed the tree may go into winter dormancy.

However, there are some viable solutions which can be used in drought conditions, which include water and mulch. Slow, deep watering once a week over the entire root zone until your deciduous trees lose all their leaves.  This means extend your watering out to the widest branches. If you put a cup under the sprinkler and wait till you collect 5cm you should have watered deep enough.

For newly planted trees water every three days, and when planting, use water crystals which retain water to give new trees the best start. Mulch will help maintain your trees’ moisture.  Spread around 5cm deep of mulch under the entire canopy of your tree. Keep  it 3cm back from the trunk of the tree to prevent rotting. Mulch beneath your trees to retain moisture.

If you have a tree problem, Heaven Contracting are there to help, so for more information on stump grinding Auckland, hedge trimming and Pohutukawa tree pruning please go to https://www.arboristauckland.com .