Plant Care
Fall Tree Feedings Crucial after Prolonged Summer Drought!
| Sep 19, 2022
The greater Philadelphia region experienced an unusually hot and dry summer this year which culminated in several of our counties issuing a Drought Watch Warning in late August. Using Wayne, PA as a reference point, here are a few interesting statistics from NIDIS (National Integrated Drought Information System):
2022 is the 23rd driest year within the last last 128 years. So far this year, rainfall lags the average by 4.46”.
For context: one inch of rain over one-acre of land is equivalent to 27,154 gallons of water. Let’s take for example a property owner with one-acre of land in Wayne. In a “normal” year by historical standards, your property would have received an additional 121,106.84 gallons of water by now. That would explain so many brown lawns!
The Philadelphia Inquirer also reported:
Both months (July and August) were well above normal for temperatures, with July running 2.9 degrees warmer, and August running 3.7 degrees warmer.
Given the stats above, it’s no surprise that our trees and shrubs appear to be suffering. Symptoms of early leaf color change, wilting leaves, premature defoliation and small, sickly looking leaves can all be attributed to water stress. YES, even on mature trees and shrubs!
Although the worst of the drought and temperatures appear to be behind us, your trees and shrubs now only have a short period of time to recover before heading into the challenging winter season.
Pictured Above Left: Drought stress on Kousa Dogwood tree.
Pictured Above Right: Drought stress and Anthracnose (fungal disease) on native Flowering Dogwood tree.
Fall tree and shrub feedings are crucial after prolonged summer heat and drought!
Late September through early November are the ideal time to deep root feed any trees and shrubs on your property that are showing signs of stress OR that are prized, meaningful trees to your family (such as memorial trees, specimen trees, a favorite tree of your child’s when growing up, a beautiful flowering tree, etc.).
Trees that are surrounded by grass (as opposed to being in a mulched bed) or that are near to a driveway or walkway (which limits the rootzone and availability of water) are particularly good candidates for a fall feeding.
I encourage you talk a walk around your property and look closely at your trees and shrubs. Note any abnormalities in the leaves or any tree limbs that are completely bare. If you are not sure what to look for, Alex and I are always happy to stop by for a complimentary evaluation.
Pictured Above: Drought stress on maple trees.
Trees are supposed to be fed in the fall!
Think about a tree growing in a natural forest environment. Every fall, these trees shed their leaves and receive a large influx of slow-release nitrogen from the fallen leaves and other woody debris as it breaks down on the forest floor. This boosts the trees’ energy reserve for survival through winter.
Compare this to our suburban landscape where our trees are usually surrounded by nutrient-poor grass and we rake up and dispose of any leaf litter as it falls into our yards.
To simulate this fall feeding cycle, Champion Tree injects low-nitrogen, nutrient-rich fertilizer 3-6” below the soil to target the feeder roots of your trees and shrubs. There are several benefits to fall feeding, including:
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Increased root growth, allowing tree to collect more water and nutrients from the soil
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Correct common nutrient deficiencies such as Nitrogen, Iron and Manganese
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Added humectants to increase water-retention and alleviate drought-stress
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Trees and plants will green-up earlier in the spring season because of readily available nutrients
Combined, these benefits will make your trees and shrubs hardier when the temperatures drop and increase their survivability throughout the winter. A weak tree is also more prone to secondary pest and disease problems, so a fall feed will strengthen it’s self-defense mechanisms and immunity.