Tree Maintenance in a Drought 101 – January 2018: Part 1

Top Tree LLC can help you manage any tree hazards you have on your property. We are some of the best arborists in the Tri-Cities and can either give you advice on how to manage your trees or perform any preventative maintenance you need.

The Thought of Drought
Areas of Washington could see drought conditions from time to time, and many trees and shrubs are paying the price. Early effects of drought include wilting or discoloration of foliage, shedding of leaves or needles, and reduction in growth. As drought stress continues, plants become more susceptible to disease and insect issues to which they would normally be resistant.

Pests like beetles and fungi are often only found attacking stressed trees, and are being found more and more frequently affecting Washington landscapes. Irrigating plants is the first approach, though not for Washington who are asked to cut back on water usage.

Mulching the root zone with fresh wood chips will help to retain irrigation or natural moisture in the soil, and it will help to regulate extreme soil temperatures, which is an additional tree stress that often goes hand in hand with drought. In addition, there are a few more advanced options that may become necessary as the drought continues:

Wetting Agents: One heavy watering with a wetting agent will allow future irrigation events to be more effective in moistening the root zone.

Plant growth regulators: Treated plants will have slightly smaller leaves, thicker leaves and thicker wax cuticles, hairier leaves, and more energy going to root growth.

We look forward to helping you with all of your tree removal and tree trimming needs. When and if you have any questions about your trees, shrubs, or any other greenery on your property, we can help. We strive to be your only and best option for tree trimmers in Pasco.

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