by Taylor’s Way | Dec 10, 2018 | Blog

While resilient even to extreme heat and weather conditions, trees, just like humans, need to be kept safe when faced with an upcoming heat wave. Experienced landowners and gardeners know they should always keep an eye on the weather forecasts to be prepared to handle a few days of extreme heat. However, sometimes such waves slip our attention and take us by surprise. Today, our tree service Mendota, IL specialists have gathered to offer their advice on how to properly protect and care for your trees during a heat wave.

1. Watering

Transpiration is a natural process that occurs in humans, animals and plants as well. In order to help your trees receive the amount of water necessary to compensate transpiration and stay healthy even during a heat wave, you need to offer them a proper watering program. There are some general rules to follow, no matter what type of trees you grow on your property:

• Newly planted trees need twice the water amount you use in normal summer conditions. For instance, if you water a new tree once a week with a gallon of water, during a heat wave, use two gallons of water for the same tree – and water twice as often as well.
• Older trees are indeed more resilient, but this doesn’t mean they don’t need extra care – ask your local tree service Mendota, IL specialists to assess the situation and make specific recommendations on your old trees’ watering needs.
• Keep in mind to water the trees very early in the morning so you don’t favor rapid evaporation.
• Add a layer of moist mulch around each tree, following the 3-3-3 rule we have spoken about before. If the mulch decomposes faster due to the extreme temperatures outside, make sure you renew and refresh the layer to keep your trees’ roots systems cool, moist and safe from heat, pests and weeds.
• Make regular inspections of all your trees and water them when watering is needed.

2. Shading and Covering

Sometimes heat waves are powerful enough to scorch the vegetation on your property beyond recognition. While tree covers and shading methods are just temporary fixes (and they should remain temporary), they are also necessary to protect the trees’ leaves and crowns. Ask your local tree service, Mendota, IL specialists to properly install tree cloth covers and add more shade to your shrubs and bushes so they don’t get sun hardened. Shade sails and tree covers should be removed once the heat wave has passed – if the vegetation gets too accustomed to the shade, it will have a hard time to adjust to sunlight again.

3. Tree Maintenance

Your local tree service Mendota, IL experts can offer you their expertise on proper tree pruning during a heat wave. You should prune your trees in summer, removing branches and twigs that are dry, dead, unsafe or diseased. Pruning your trees in summer allows them to save up their energy to thrive and handle a heat wave better. Also, keep in mind that regular tree assessments are the best way to keep your trees healthy and strong no matter the weather conditions.