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Heatwave !

Posted on 7th June 2023 at 16:05

Caring For Your Trees During A Heatwave 

Summer has taken it's time to find us this year and we are all very pleased to finally have some higher temperatures to give us the summer vibes we have been craving all Spring! Our trees are also relieved to get that glorious dose of energy from the sun to enable it to grow new buds, leaves and fruit. However, a heatwave can bring some issues to younger, less established trees, especially for prolonged periods. 
 
We are going to share a few tips to ensure your trees survive the high temperatures this year and go on to florish rather than fail. 
1.  
The obvious step - water your tree! We would recommend watering your tree in either the morning or the evening. Watering in the morning is preferable as this is when the trees will start to draw water from the soil. The amount depends on the size, species and soil type. There is lots of good advice online. 
 
 
2.  
If you harvest rain water, this is an excellent time to use it. Trees like grey water as appose to fresh and you will need a good amount, so this will help if there is a hose pipe ban. 
 
 
3.  
Water the ground underneath the canopy, not just the trunk. Most of the roots spread out to the same distance as the canopy, so focussing water at the trunk will not be effective. 
 
 
4.  
Using water bags, water butt's or even buckets can be a great way to ensure your trees are watered slowly throughout the morning or overnight. You can buy bags from amazon that sit around the base of the tree and have two small hoses that can be placed under the canopy and release water slowly. 
https://amzn.to/43JzU8P <---- link to buy on amazon from Tesmotor store.  
 
 
DIY versions - drill some holes in the bottom of some buckets or get water butt's with taps and turn them on very slowly to allow a few drips per second. Place these around the canopy and fill them up in the morning or in the evening. Water that is applied quickly can run off and not penetrate the soil deep enough to reach the roots. 
 
5.  
Apply mulch under the canopy of the tree in a circle - this can be in the form of woodchip or leaves from the previous year. 
Make sure the mulch is not touching the trunk or piled up against it. This can cause further health problems for the tree. The mulch acts as an insulator, keeping the temperature lower and slower to loose water. It also supresses weeds and adds minerals to the soil, so it's very beneficial even outside of a drought. 
 
We sell and deliver tonne bags of woodchip mulch for £40 a bag. Link below: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. The obvious step - water your tree! We would recommend watering your tree in either the morning or the evening. Watering in the morning is preferable as this is when the trees will start to draw water from the soil. The amount depends on the size, species and soil type. There is lots of good advice online. 
 
 
2. If you harvest rain water, this is an excellent time to use it. Trees like grey water as appose to fresh and you will need a good amount, so this will help if there is a hose pipe ban. 
 
 
3. Water the ground underneath the canopy, not just the trunk. Most of the roots spread out to the same distance as the canopy, so focussing water at the trunk will not be effective. 
 
 
4. Using water bags, water butt's or even buckets can be a great way to ensure your trees are watered slowly throughout the morning or overnight. You can buy bags from amazon that sit around the base of the tree and have two small hoses that can be placed under the canopy and release water slowly. 
https://amzn.to/43JzU8P <---- link to buy on amazon from Tesmotor store.  
 
DIY versions - drill some holes in the bottom of some buckets or get water butt's with taps and turn them on very slowly to allow a few drips per second. Place these around the canopy and fill them up in the morning or in the evening. Water that is applied quickly can run off and not penetrate the soil deep enough to reach the roots. 
 
5. Apply mulch under the canopy of the tree in a circle - this can be in the form of woodchip or leaves from the previous year. 
Make sure the mulch is not touching the trunk or piled up against it. This can cause further health problems for the tree. The mulch acts as an insulator, keeping the temperature lower and slower to loose water. It also supresses weeds and adds minerals to the soil, so it's very beneficial even outside of a drought. 
Tagged as: Summer, Tree Health, Tree Inspections
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