Summer is a time to enjoy the outdoors. The green that pops up in the spring comes to full-fledged life in the summer, and it’s impossible to ignore its beauty. To keep your trees—which contribute to the beauty of summer—as healthy as possible, you need to know a few things. To help, here are our top tree care tips for summer.
What You Can Do
Summer tree care is vital, and while you can do certain tasks on your own, others are best left to professional arborists or tree care crews. To maintain the health of your trees yourself, two things you can do is consistently water them throughout the hot summer months and carefully mulch around them.
Water Your Trees
Even for established trees, a Texas summer can be very hot, leeching the moisture they need for continued growth. Giving your trees a deep watering every couple of days (depending on the surrounding soil’s moisture) will keep them healthy. Aim to water in the evening so that you don’t lose any water to evaporation, and be sure not to directly water the trees’ root beds. If water pools for too long, root rot may develop. If you want to be precise, set up an automated irrigation solution for these hot summer months so that you know exactly how much water your trees receive.
Mulch Around Your Trees
Mulching near your trees has several benefits, one of which is moisture retention. Mulch locks in rainwater or water from your irrigation system and prevents your soil from drying out. Additionally, spreading mulch protects your trees by preventing competitive weeds from gaining a foothold.
What Professionals Can Do
Meanwhile, professional tree care companies should address tasks such as pruning and inspection.
Prune Your Trees
You should ideally prune trees in the winter or early spring months to avoid interrupting existing growth and to promote future health, but in some cases, using an Austin tree pruning service may be helpful. Specifically, summer pruning involves removing dead or diseased branches that could threaten the overall integrity of your trees and block much-needed sunlight.
Inspect Your Tree Health
Your tree is likely in full force in the summer, with healthy leaves, a dense crown, and signs of growth. This is typical and ideal, but sometimes trees show signs of disease or ill health in the summer. During this time—as a preventative measure or if you have reason to worry—have a certified arborist evaluate your trees’ health and potentially treat them to counteract pests. Following this top summer tree care tip can give your tree many more years of unhindered life. For instance, Sid Mourning Tree Service offers oak wilt and webworm treatments to keep these scourges at bay.