By Bill Davies
September has been extremely dry. Trees and shrubs you’ve planted within the last two years are very susceptible to drought stress.
How much water? And until what month?
Give new transplants a heavy soaking two or three times a week. You should work your hand into the mulch around the base of the tree or shrub to see if they’ve gotten enough water. If conditions remain dry, water into November.
Also very important: Wrap newly-planted cherries and other smooth-barked trees (even maples) in burlap so that deer don’t rub their antlers on the trunks. In trying to get the velvet off their antlers, they’ll walk right up to younger trees especially—and they can do a lot of damage to them.
Bill Davies is a New York State-certified arborist, and a co-owner of Westchester Tree Life.
Copyright 2008 NewCastleNOW.org