Nora Sirbaugh

By: centraljersey.com
As we slide into autumn, I mourn the sad state of the fall color by our trees.
The hot and dry summer drought has taken its toll on the traditional display. The maples are coloring up prematurely in an attempt to shed themselves of their leaves, and many other trees aren’t so much changing color as just crisping up.
Everywhere one looks, the effects of the drought can be seen. You may have noticed partially crisped leaves on trees and shrubs earlier in the summer. Such leaf scorch is a common symptom of drought.
As a master gardener who volunteers at the extension helpline here in Mercer County, I know that in the coming years -yes, years – we can expect many calls and visits concerning the dead and dying trees and shrubs.
I am reminded of the old adage, "the bigger they are, the harder they fall."
Known as the "woodies," trees and shrubs quietly stress out while our lawns and flower beds crisp up in periods of drought. Because the effect of drought is so much more visually obvious to homeowners in the lawn and flowerbeds, they rush out to water these areas and neglect the woodies – the backbones of their landscapes.
Drought can seriously stress a tree and make it vulnerable to diseases and wood-boring insects, who then are falsely blamed for the final decline of the tree. Healthy, vigorous trees can withstand some insect damage, but not drought-stressed ones.
What can we do now, as we come into the end of the season? Water the trees! Water the trees! Water the trees!
In discussing this with Mercer County horticulturist Barbara Bromley, she strongly urges homeowners to not let the trees go into winter dry. Two inches of water every week will make all the difference between a dead tree in the coming season and a healthy one.
How do you water a tree? Set your hose in the root zone of the tree in a slow trickle for an hour.
While we rejoice in the first real rains in a very long time this past week, it barely scratches (or saturates) the surface. Gardeners are very inventive on ways to save and recycle water in times of drought. Emptying kettles and vegetable cooking water into pots and buckets for use in the garden, installing rain barrels to the house and setting out buckets on the patio and deck to capture any rain are some ways to get water for the trees.
You can put a bucket in the shower to capture water while you wait for it to "heat up" for washing. Many also have been known to capture the rinse water from their washing machines in a dedicated garbage can – just move the machine’s hose to drain into it.
If you recall the mega-storm in March here in Mercer County, many trees were blown over by the force of the winds that hit them. Note that the roots torn up were, on average, only about 18 inches deep. Because of our heavy soils and the nature of tree growth, the roots tend to grow out near the surface, seeking water and nutrients in the more arable topsoils.
Saturating this area will give the tree much needed moisture.
Enjoy the cooler temperatures of autumn and water your trees!
Ms. Sirbaugh is a member of the Hopewell Township Environmental Commission.