As the summer season draws to a close, it is vital to prepare your shrubs for the fall temperatures. While the hot summer temperatures can benefit your trees and shrubs, prolonged exposure can also pose a threat to the health and performance of your plants. As such, you need to ramp up the maintenance and care of your plants to ensure they survive the heat and move into the fall season at peak health.
In this post, we have compiled a checklist to help you hack end-of-summer care for all your plants, trees, and shrubs.
Prune Your Shrubs and Trees
Pruning your shrubs and trees is an essential part of care and maintenance, which will ensure they are healthy and thriving throughout the warm summer months. Here are some general tips on how to keep your plants well pruned in preparation for the end of summer:
- Trim your trees and shrubs to remove dead and broken branches that have been damaged by storms
- Prune your flowering plants to remove dead leaves and promote the regrowth of healthy ones
- Be on the lookout for damage caused by the summer heat, pests, and diseases when trimming your shrubs and trees
Getting rid of dead and dying plants and trimming and pruning your healthier plants in preparation for the end of summer will promote regrowth and ensure your shrubs and trees are well prepared for the beginning of fall.
Irrigate Your Plants While Being Mindful of Water Conservation
In the searing heat of the warm summer months, it is especially important for your plants to receive enough water. This means irrigation should be conducted regularly to ensure your trees and shrubs survive the drought season. It is important to note that different shrubs and trees typically have varied water and irrigation needs, depending on the species, location, soil type, and age. Older plants with well-established roots, for instance, require less watering compared to newly-planted ones which are only starting to bloom.
During the hot summer months, you may also need to ramp up your artificial irrigation practices since rainfall is likely to be minimal. You should keep in mind that your irrigation strategy might vary depending on the water conservation requirements in your locality. If you live in more desert-prone regions, for instance, your irrigation strategy and water conservation might be limited to artificial irrigation systems. Regardless of the water resources available to you, the key to proper irrigation entails utilizing them without compromising your water conservation needs.
Focus Your Efforts Towards Protecting the Roots of Your Plants
During the drought season, it is especially important to ensure the roots of your shrubs and trees are sturdy and strong since this increases their chances of survival. While you may still desire to apply fertilizer in the hot summer months, experts recommend you cut back on fertilizer use during heat waves to prevent root burn.
Although fertilizing the soil in the summer can protect your plants against diseases, over-fertilization may cause significant damage to your plants. As such, it is critical to employ other measures to keep the roots of your trees and shrubs healthy in the dry summer air.
One of the effective techniques you can use to keep your plant roots healthy during the summer heat is mulching. The application of mulch at the base of your plants protects the roots of your shrubs and trees from harsh sunlight, thus protecting them from scorching. In addition, mulching helps to prevent soil compaction, thus ensuring the soil is properly aerated. This makes it easier to irrigate artificially, and by extension, you will be able to conserve water.
One strategy you can employ to mulch your trees and shrubs involves laying down a 3-inch thick layer of wood mulch around the base of your plants. Doing this helps the soil retain water while also regulating the ground temperature so your plants’ roots are not dehydrated. Considering the high temperatures in the summer, applying mulch to your soil will help your shrubs and trees conserve water more efficiently and reduce the frequency of irrigation. It also provides padding that protects your plants from debris.
A Final Word
Caring for your shrubs and trees in the summer can be challenging due to the high temperatures and minimal rainfall. That being said, it is a project that can be achieved with the right strategies and a bit of work. Putting into practice the tips highlighted above will help you provide specialized care for your plants during the final summer weeks and ensure they transition into the fall season at optimum health. For professional end-of-summer lawn care and maintenance, contact Cerullo Landscape & Irrigation today and let our experts provide you with the best lawn care services.
