Announcing the Summer Almanac for 2012
Marking the first day of summer, we’re announcing our seasonal Summer Almanac, a tree-care guide to help individuals prepare trees on and surrounding their property for D.C.’s hot, dry summer months.
Casey Trees advises District residents to:
- Practice 25 to Stay Alive. Watering is the most important summer tree-care task. Trees, especially those that have been in the ground less than three years, need 25 gallons of water – approximately 1.5 inches of rainfall – per week in the spring, summer and fall to survive and thrive. (More tips on tree watering.)
- Mulch. Mulching helps keep the soil moist and controls weeds. If you did not mulch in spring, now would be a good time. Apply the “3-3-3 Rule” – three inches of mulch in a three-foot ring with a three-inch space around the tree trunk to prevent decay.
- Weed. Remove summer grasses from around the trunk.
- Check Trunk Guards. Weed whackers and lawn mowers can cause severe damage to a tree’s circulation system. Add tree guards to the base of the tree if landscaping equipment is used around the tree. Check installed tree guards to make sure they are installed properly.
Each week we issue a tree watering recommendations on our homepage and Twitter and Facebook, letting you know whether you should water your trees. Individuals who live within 25 miles of the District can sign the 25 to Stay Alive watering pledge to receive a complimentary rainfall gauge. Slow-release watering bags are also available to purchase on our online shop for $10 each.
Re: Yoshino Cherry Tree
My tree is dropping leaves much too early and my yard looks like it is October. Davey Tree sprayed insecticide 3 times: #1-just as the buds showed; #2-2 wks later; and #3-2 wks later. After the 3rd spray in about a week the leaves started dropping. They are yellow. I am due for a deep root fertilization during August. Any suggestion as to how I can curb the leaf drop. I don’t see any worms or insects. Thank you
I’m curious how young (or old) your tree is? What rationale or justification did the Davey Tree plant health care professional provide for the spraying or the deep root fertilization? What are the soils like (wet/dry? sandy/clayey?)? Were there any other disturbances (e.g. excavation of the root zone for new pipes?)?
How do citizens get watering bladders?
@Dennis
They can be ordered from our online store and picked up at our office.
I bought a container-grown tree this spring but did not get it planted. Should I plant it now or wait until fall? It’s a chinese pearlbloom.
@Lucy
Young trees tend to not do well being planted in such hot weather. The survival rate probably isn’t good for trees planted this late after the spring season, although I’m not sure about the particular species. Our organization generally stops planting trees after early May and begins again in October.
Oliver is right on with our conventional wisdom, but since you already bought the tree, I will contradict him and suggest you get this tree in the ground ASAP. Dig a hole 3x’s as wide as the pot, and apply a generous layer of mulch around the planting area. Water thoroughly twice a week for the next month, then reduced to weekly as necessary. Otherwise, you will have to water the tree in the container every day to get it to survive the summer and be ready for fall planting. Plant it this weekend!
Listen to Jim, for sure – he’s the expert!
Alas, I have had to move ALL my trees — ginkgoes, fringe trees, yong magnolia, fig (fruit bearing variety) and maple — indoors because they are about to paint, re-glass and refinish the floor on my apt’s balcony. The tops of the fringe trees and the magnolia are becoming dried up — I thnk I need to prune those dead areas and I worry that things will get worse before the balcony work is done. Sad because I raised all these trees with the best of care and they were flourishing before they had to be moved indoors. They get sunlight for about 2 hrs a day — and one batch of the trees (they were moved into 2 different areas of the living room) are also getting artificial plant light. I hope they recover once I am able to put them back outdoors (in about 2 or 3 weeks)
Are you raising these trees as dwarf/bonsai trees? IF not, then I would expect them to have limited life expectancies with the limited soil volumes of your containers. Either way, we have very little experience with trees grown permanently as house plants or patio containers. Good luck!
Are the bladders appropriate for mature trees? If it is too big for the trunk, would laying it out in a straight line under the tree canopy be useful to a large tree?
Ooze Tubes, for example, are large enough that they can wrap around fairly large trees, although not the largest street trees. I’m not sure if the slow-release watering bags would work well laid flat – their design requires them to be staked in the ground. We’d be interested to know if you have a method for watering trees like that, though!
There are a few other methods for watering trees, including setting a bucket with holes in it next the tree (to slowly release the water) or leaving a hose on a very slow trickle.
More tips on watering methods here: http://caseytrees.org/blog/how-to-water-your-trees-this-summer/
I notice some plant new trees with an inch wide pvc pipe that goes to the roots. Do you recommend this as a way to be sure water reaches the tree roots or is it intended to provide air?