Friday, July 3, 2009

NOTE FOR JUNE
Trees are beginning to drop their leaves due to heat stress. They will drop leaves in order to conserve energy. Most trees are not dying, they are just stressing. Do not attempt to water them to save them, unless you have a recently planted tree-planted within the last year. If this heat goes on the rest of the year, with no rain, small branches may die off, this is natural pruning and adaption to the heat. So now is the start of our "Fall" where we have to start collecting leaves. Sweep them, rake them, and put them in the compost! Some trees may put on new leaves if by some chance the area gets a good long rainy spell. But otherwise, they probably will not.

Conifers are very susceptible to this heat. Patches will start to die brown. Unfortunately, these branches that die will not put out new leaves ever. These twigs and branches will have to be cut off. If you are intent on keeping your conifer alive, shower it every morning with a water spray. Add a hose end sprayer with liquid seaweed for extra heat stress nourishment. Think about it, most conifers come from places where IT COOLS OFF AT NIGHT!!!! And/or places where there is a little morning mist or dew. It is NOT like that in Central Texas. Trees especially prone to heat death: Italian Cypress, blue point Juniper, just about any pine tree, especially long leaf and Japanese varieties, and Arbor Vitae to some degree.

Plants on the way out in Central Texas-don't spend your valuable time and water on these:
Pittosporum
any conifer-pine trees, foreign cypress
oleander
magnolia
mop head hydrangea
coleus
liriope