Can you water a large tree?

Many people wonder if it is feasible to water a large landscape tree. In short, the answer is YES, and during our Seattle heat wave arborists are still planting, pruning, and watering trees. Some of the principals to consider when watering trees including big trees are:

• Water slowly to limit runoff and allow deep penetration.
• The root system of large trees can extend up to 1.5 times the height of a tree.
• Mulching can improve retention of moisture during hot weather. See previous mulching posts.
• Water early or late, not during the hottest parts of the day.

If in need of an assessment of your trees due to our abnormal Seattle weather, give us a call.

Help - My Tree Just Died!

One way to describe trees is as a big battery. As trees convert sunlight to starch, they store excess energy in their woody parts for later use. A vital tree stores converts more energy than it needs resulting in a surplus. A highly stressed tree is consumes more energy. At some point stress becomes strain, an irreversible condition. If this continues for too long, the tree begins to decline.

Decline in trees can sometimes take years. Tree death often occurs long after the initial contributing factor takes place. Because of the timing of tree growth many trees "die" in late spring. Why? One of the biggest energy uses for a tree is pushing out new leaves and extending new growth. If your tree has "just" died, it may be that in order to continue growth, it has used up all of it's available energy.

Some avoidable things that cause stress:

1. Overpruning or malpruning
   
2. Disturbance of root zones
3. Wounding trunk and roots, often by lawn care equipment
   

Trees vs. Turf

In the battle for the American yard, trees have been taking it in the shorts. Trees are viewed as a nuisance, blocking light, causing a mess, and costing money. Here are three things that are true about trees vs. turf.

1. Trees save money - planted within 15 feet of the SW corner of your house, a large tree will cut summertime cooling costs by $20 to $30 per month. In the summer your grass costs you several hours per week of your time besides the increased water bill.
2. Trees capture water and help to hold it in the soil - turf maintenance is largely responsible for the high levels of pesticides and herbicides in our public waterways, as applied chemicals are washed downstream.
3. Trees are gathering places - On a hot summer day, a lawn is viewed from underneath the shade of a patio umbrella. In contrast, the trees pull people in to sit and visit under their cool shade. Lawn says stay off; tree says welcome.

Being green comes natural, just don't fight it.