Tree Maintenance

Are you worried about the heat taking its toll on your trees, lawn, and shrubs? Let us help you take all the necessary steps to ensure a healthy yard.

Last but certainly not least, water your lawn. But do it smart so you are not wasting water and money. Start by giving “hot spots” a good soak. These are the areas that get sun all day, along hot blacktop, slopes, and western and southern exposures. A light sprinkling will not help and may hurt. Get the water deep enough for the roots to use, they are much more efficient at taking up the water than the top growth is. An hour of steady sprinkling should penetrate the soil as much as 3-6”. Water early in the day so the sun and heat don’t evaporate the water before it even soaks in, and water evaporation from the plants in extreme heat will cause wilt or burn. Night watering is not normally advised because your plants stay wet until the sun comes out, inviting mildew, disease, and pests. But, well, most of us have to go to work in the morning! We don’t have much choice but to water in the evening, and that is still better than watering in the heat of the day. During a drought and extreme heat the plants will usually dry out quickly unless humidity is also very high. Try to water shaded areas right after work and move to sun exposed areas as sundown approaches since they will be hot and the grass will dry more quickly.

Due to watering restrictions, you may have no choice but to let your lawn go dormant. Once there is relief with rain or lifting of watering restrictions, you may be anxious to perform all the late summer and fall chores that normally refresh your lawn. But the grass is extremely stressed, and spraying for weeds, aerating, power raking and even fertilizing will damage a severely stressed lawn. First, water at least an inch per week until the grass is refreshed, green and growing. Second, fertilize with a low dose of nitrogen just before rain is expected or before sprinkling. You can either purchase a low nitrogen fertilizer or apply at half the recommended rate. As soon as your lawn looks green and healthy it is safe to apply weed control, but don’t overdo it! Mixed at high ratios or applied at a heavy rate, weed control chemicals can burn your grass even when it is healthy. Aeration can also be performed once the grass is green, growing and healthy. Power raking is better left for spring under any conditions, but many people prefer to perform power raking in fall. Done early enough on a healthy lawn, damaged turf crowns will have time to heal before winter.

The Tri-Cities can have some pretty high temperatures during the summer. Let Top Tree LLC show you how to keep your trees healthy during the hot summer months.

Are you worried about the heat taking its toll on your trees, lawn, and shrubs? Let us help you take all the necessary steps to ensure a healthy yard.

Caring for Lawns In Extreme Heat

Many their lawns to simply go dormant during extreme heat and I have even heard “so called” experts recommend doing just that. The grass may revive under better conditions. However heat and drought resistant weeds will grow and spread. All while the grass has become very weak, stressed, and nutrient starved if it goes dormant. By the time the grass revives and gets healthy again you have a very weedy lawn.

You may prefer instead to preserve a healthy lawn through the drought. And with a few simple steps you can do that. Keep your lawn strong and healthy by fertilizing it. Even as summer begins to heat up you can apply a light dose of lower nitrogen fertilizer just before rain is expected or before watering your lawn. Your grass will be much better prepared for heat and drought because it is strong and healthy.

Also start raising your lawn mower blade as the summer heats up. Even without extreme conditions you should be raising the blade 2 or 3 times in stages through the summer. The longer grass (you should be mowing it to 3” long in the heat of summer) accomplishes several things. It shades the soil, keeping it moist and cool longer. Longer grass blades are also holding more water that can be used to survive until the next rain (much like a young plant or seedling can’t survive in heat, as the plant gets larger it is stronger and has more water available). And it allows you to continue a more regular mowing schedule without having to whack down a big chunk of the grass blades after the heat passes, which really stresses the lawn. During extreme heat and drought the lawn will be stressed and will not be growing as quickly so you will be able to longer between mowings. But if you let it get long just for a dry period and then mow off more than half the grass blades, you will wind up with a stressed lawn anyway and gain little.

The Tri-Cities can have some pretty high temperatures during the summer. Let Top Tree LLC show you how to keep your trees healthy during the hot summer months.

Taking care of of your birch trees and shrubs is just a part of having trees and shrubs on your property. You will have to be mindful of various kinds of insects, fungus, weather damage, and of course, just the normal wear and tear a tree will go through.

The Birch Tree
Birch trees are a popular choice for the home landscaper here in the Tri-Cities. Their unique bark and beautiful leaves make them perfect shade and ornamental trees. However, they do demand a little care and attention. Not just any site or soil condition will do and many trees fail to reach maturity due to site and soil factors.

Probably the most important factor for a healthy birch tree is maintaining its soil. The soil determines not only how well it takes nutrients and water but also how efficiently the tree can use those nutrients. This will determine whether your birch can successfully withstand the stresses of growing in an urban environment or fend off pests such as the bronze birch borer. As a homeowner, the best gift you can make to your birch tree’s soil and to the long-term viability of your tree is the addition of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.

When You Need Help
We want to be your “go to” resource for taking care of your trees. Whether it’s giving the best tree maintenance advice possible to take care of them or if you need the best company in Pasco for tree removal, we are here for you. We look forward to speaking with you soon.