Prep Your Trees for a Dry Alberta Summer

With summer here people are rushing to the store to pick up last minute items such as sun block, bathing suits and bug repellent. With all of this summer preparation have you given any thought to preparing your yard? You may not realize this, but the heat can be just as damaging to your yard and trees as it is to you. Dry soil, sunburn, and high winds from thunderstorms are just one of the many challenges your greenery will face over the next couple of months. So what can you do to get your yard ready for summer? Local arborists in Edmonton have some unique tips for protecting your landscaping from extreme weather over the next few months.

Heat: Heat when paired with dry conditions can be devastating to your foliage. Newly planted saplings and flowers can quickly dry out at the roots, and even well-established specimens can succumb to extreme conditions. Fertilization and a good irrigation system can help keep them healthy in very dry conditions. You will need to keep in mind that as the temperature rises, you may have water your yard more often. Another great tip is to use deep root fertilizing, a service offered by professionals such as Chipps Tree Care arborists in Edmonton.

Sunburn: With heat also comes UV rays, and plants are as much susceptible to sunburn as people. Species that have a smooth textured bark like birches are especially vulnerable to sunburn. You can think about using some type of shade cloth to minimize exposure, especially for saplings without enough foliage to protect its own trunk. Try not to over prune the lower and interior parts of the crown, as this will open up sensitive sections to sun exposure that were previously protected. Consult with professionals who are certified with the International Society of Arboriculture (Chipps Tree Care is one local company with ISA-certified employees) for pruning advice to avoid sunburn.

High winds: Summer storms can cause all sorts of problems from high winds to drenching rain and even hail. Torrential rains can soften dry,packed dirt and loosen root beds. If high winds follow it can lift an entire trunk out of the ground, roots and all. To safe guard your property from the threat of wind damage you will want to prune any dense foliage and any dead or diseased branches. According to Chipps Tree Care, you may also want to consider having any mature elms, ashes, or birches braced and supported, or removed if the core of the trunk is rotting. Always consult the experts for pruning and tree removal – it’s not as easy as it looks.

Professional arborists use low impact rigging in order to minimize the effect of being up in the crown while they work. They know how to prune a branch at the node so that it will seal and protect itself against pests, as well as which limbs should be cut back and which should not. Professional tree pruning in Edmonton gets you the best results for a healthy canopy on your property.