Hunters Hill Recreation Association

South Suburban Park & Recreation District News

Aug 18, 2001

Summer Maintenance of Trees and Shrubs: If you have plants that lost all their foliage and have no new growth, there is a good chance that that they will not revive. These plants were not able to push out new growth because their reserves of carbohydrates and sugars were depleted from their initial spring growth flush. Plants that survived and "re-leafed" are utilizing the last of their stored energy and are particularly vulnerable to the extreme heat of the summer's scorch.

There are some simple ways you can ensure your plants' summer survival and give them a head start for next spring. Most importantly make sure that your trees and shrubs are adequately watered without drowning them; keep them consistently moist but not saturated. Woody plants prefer periodic soaking. Check the soil and water as it begins to dry out and make sure to water where the roots grow. The general rule of thumb is to cover an area from the trunk or stem to beyond the reach of the branches. Remember that nearly all plant roots, especially the fibrous ones that take up water and nutrients, are in the top 12" - 18" of soil. Slow surface watering is the best method moving the hose around to all sides of the plant or tree.

Use mulch to cover the root zone of the plant. Good choices for mulch include composted leaves, pine needles, wood chips, bark or peat moss. Mulch serves several purposes including moisture conservation, soil temperature moderation and grass and weed reduction. A 2-4 inch layer of mulch is ideal. Make certain to leave a mulch-free zone around the trunk or stem discouraging insects from attacking this area and reducing the chance of fungus diseases that can cause rotting.

If you plan to fertilize, apply foliar applications before July 15 when plants begin to store energy once again. Apply foliar fertilizers early in the morning or in the evening to prevent burning and make sure your plants
are sufficiently watered to facilitate transport of the nutrients to all parts of the plant. Soil-based granular fertilizer applications are acceptable longer in the season, since this method involves a controlled, time release of the nutrients into the soil. Complete this type of fertilization before August 1. If your trees and shrubs are in turf areas and you regularly fertilize your grass, these applications will usually suffice to fertilize your woody plants as well.

Caring for your trees and shrubs during every season is essential to their long beautiful life. South Suburban Parks and Recreation's Forestry/horticulture staff members are experts in the maintenance of trees and landscape materials and provided this useful information. If you have other pertinent questions, please call South Suburban's experts at 303-721-8478.