Tree Care Tips: Keep Your Trees Cool in Delaware This Summer

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Did you know trees need protection from the sun, just like us? Here are foolproof tree care tips for this summer in Delaware.

In summer, we seek shade, and there’s no better place to find it than under a tree’s cool canopy. While trees work hard to keep us cool, they need protection from the sun, too.

Dry conditions and abnormally high temperatures leave trees parched. Drought weakens trees and can eventually kill them. To survive, trees need attention during, as well as after, periods of drought.

Make sure mature and trees have enough water to make it through the dry summer months. Davey Tree arborist Jason Gaskill says trees generally have enough water if the upper 12 inches of soil is moist.

Tree Care Tips: 7 Ways to Ensure Your Trees Get Enough Water

Poke a long screwdriver into the dirt beneath the tree. If it’s hard to push in, water.
Tree roots are deeper than turf roots, so water about three times as long as you water the lawn.
The best time to water is in the morning to prevent evaporation.
Avoid spraying the trunk of the tree, as increased moisture can create root rot. Instead, soak the ground toward the edge of the tree canopy.
Place a coffee or soup can in the drip zone, the area directly beneath the trees’ foliage. Run the sprinkler slowly until 1 inch of water has collected in the can.
Undo soil compaction with vertical mulching. Holes are drilled and filled with a compost, sand and loam mixture, which helps rain soak into the soil.
PP30 or PolyPhosphite 30 injections in the soil maximize the tree’s tolerance to drought.

Telltale signs of dehydration are curling, wilting or small leaves that may turn brown at the tips or edges.

Gaskill says that tree health is also boosted by adding 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the tree. Mulch should be pulled back 6 inches from the trunk of the tree in a saucer-like fashion. “Please do NOT build mulch into a volcano. This can harm and even kill trees over time, as it promotes girdling and decreases air circulation,” Gaskill explains.

Besides watering trees properly, Gaskill recommends these top four large-canopied trees for Delaware landscapes. These trees are hardy, tolerant of urban and suburban conditions, low-maintenance and able to endure drought conditions.