Protecting Trees From Hot, Dry Weather

If you venture out into your yard this hot, muggy afternoon, you'll probably see some of what I saw in the field today: droopy leaves. I tell ya, I felt just as droopy as those leaves looked! It reminded me, it's time to check the soil moisture.
So I've been going around, digging into gardens, fields, pots, root balls - anything that might need my help with some water.

I'm going to suggest you do the same, especially on your trees that have been in the ground three years or less. Since we only have a 30% chance of rain this week, now is the time to get these trees good & wet, if you haven't yet. Our moisture monitoring tutorial can help you get the hang of checking the soil, and our watering instructions will tell you how to put the water on.

Now, if your tree's root area is already wet, it could still show some sign of wilting this afternoon. That's just because it's darn hot. If you look at the tree in the morning, before the mercury rises too much, you should see that the leaves have perked up quite a bit overnight. Another hot day might influence trees to use more water than usual, so don't be afraid to check on them a couple times this week.