Leaf Scorch Damage

The heat of summer has caused quite a bit of damage to our plants, trees and lawns.  Currently you might notice that many of the leaves have edges that are brown.  This is called “Leaf Scorch” and is a condition caused by the hot summer we just experienced. This is not caused by disease or insects, but by the environment. Conditions such as drought, high temperature, winds, and improper watering will allow the plant to suffer. During these conditions, not enough moisture has reached the outer leaves and the exposed leaves have dried out and scorched.

Leaf Scorch is characterized by a yellowing along the edges or veins of the leaf.  As the leaves turn brown in those areas, it becomes the most noticeable and, it is at this time that the leaves will not recover.  It is most severe on the outer leaves, especially those that face the sun.  

What can you do?

Once leaf scorch has occurred, there is no cure.  The leaves that have already turned brown will not recover, BUT as long as you water properly, the rest of the plant should survive. Deep watering is recommended – a slow, deep soaking of the soil at the roots.  During hot weather, watering the roots of each plant for 1-2 minutes in the spring and up to 10 minutes in the summer, every other day, is usually sufficient. When the weather gets cooler, you may water less.  This is very important for the plant, especially for the young trees who are still establishing their root systems.  Deep watering helps to prevent leaf scorch by making sure the plant will receive enough moisture for even those outer leaves. 

Unfortunately, over-watering can be just as bad.  Test the soil to see how it is.  Early morning watering is the best time, before the water will be evaporated by the heat of day.  Mulch can also help retain moisture at the roots. 

Fertilization in Fall will help the plant by giving it back some nutrients it lost during the stress of summer.  This is highly recommended for all trees and shrubs that have survived this harsh summer – whether they were damaged by leaf scorch or not.

Need an evaluation of your trees and shrubs? Contact us and we will evaluate your property for free. 

Winter Damage to Your Landscape Plants and Trees

Long winters with snow, ice and extreme cold can create a lot of damage to landscape plants.  There are both natural and man made problems that can occur.  How can you tell which are major problems and which will work itself out? How can you prevent some of these issues from occurring year after year?  Let us help.

Branches which are splayed open – not damaged but severely bent – can be caused by snow and ice weight during winter.  Some of these branches will bounce back on their own but some will need to be tied up or trimmed.  This can mostly be prevented by proper pruning techniques done at the appropriate time of year.

Defoliation or brown leaves of evergreens in winter (winter burn or scorch) is usually seen with broadleaf evergreen more than needle evergreens and it is caused by desiccation.  Desiccation is when moisture that the plant needs during the harsh winter months is lost due to the sunny/windy weather.  Unfortunately, the plant cannot derive the needed moisture from the frozen soil.  This is another problem that can be prevented with an anti-desiccant which would be applied in late fall/early winter.  An anti-desiccant treatment forms a protective wax-like layer which seals in moisture and helps retard winter dehydration.

De-icing may also cause leaf scorch.  De-icing damage can be caused by casual salting of the area near your landscape plants or from runoff from the roads that contain dissolved salts. This can be prevented by making sure the soil in these areas are heavy in nutrients to help the plants during the winter, planting more hardy plants that can handle the salt better, or being extra careful on salt distribution around your landscaped areas.

With some of these problems, the plant in spring will grow out these areas and new growth will come in.  In other cases, you might need some fertilization to strengthen the plant and give it the nutrients it needs to heal.  If the area is damaged and there is no new growth potential, the area will need to be trimmed.

Not sure what to do?  Not a problem – just call us and we will help.