Watery Wisdom: How to Protect Your Trees from Flooding

Everyone loves a nice summer shower. It lifts the spirits. It brings temperatures down. It’s good for the trees.

… right?

Well, the truth is, not always. Some trees can sicken if they’re exposed to too much rain and flooding, especially over a long period of time. It’s smart to take steps before and during the rainy season to make sure your trees get the TLC they need to stay safe from floods.

Flooding and Oxygen Deprivation Go Hand in Hand

Many people don’t understand how flooding affects trees because they assume that water is simply “good for” any plant. The truth is, though, plants and trees rely on oxygen just like you or me. Enough standing water and trees actually drown, unable to take up oxygen because they’re simply too saturated.

Another misconception is that trees draw their nutrients, water, and oxygen from down deep, and while that’s true to an extent, they get the majority of their oxygen from the first 6 inches of soil. When that’s covered with water, they physically cannot breathe. No Bueno.

Signs and Symptoms of Flooding

Most trees will tolerate a certain amount of flooding for short periods of time. You don’t need to worry until you see the following signs:

  • Yellowing or browning of leaves or needles out of season
  • Dropping of leaves or needles
  • Wilting
  • Splitting or cracking
  • General failure to thrive

Prevention Is the Best Cure

While you can hastily amend soils in preparation for stormy weather, the best idea is to keep trees out of a jam by planting only flood-tolerant trees in areas that frequently see standing water.

If you don’t want to move a well-established tree, you can also use a bioswale to direct water away from it, toward draining in another part of the yard. You can also reroute downspouts away from trees and plant water-retaining plants above them as a buffer.

Get Help from a Certified Arborist

Bottom line? Help from a certified arborist is guaranteed to keep your trees in tip-top shape. Your arborist can help you prevent disease, respond to catastrophes and keep trees safe over the long haul.

So, are you worried this hot and heavy season will affect your trees for the worse? Call Premier Tree Solutions to help you care for your backyard beauties they way they deserve. We specialize in a number of areas, including tree removal and trimming, pruning and storm damage care, branch clearing, debris removal, and stump grinding.

Need help with anything tree-related? Call today!

5 Things You Don’t Know About Oak Trees, But Should

Oak-y dokey! Ready to learn all about one of nature’s most awe-inspiring arboreal accomplishments, the mighty oak?

If you’ve always been quercus(curious, obviously) about this grandest of trees, we’ve got you covered here. The fantastic Quercus genus is full of beautiful specimens, thriving all over the world, giving shade and bright color, and never failing to bring a stately touch to landscapes of all types.

Let’s get started.

1. Oaks Are HUGE

Oaks can reach as high as 70 feet or more, with crowns spreading more than 130 from end to end. That’s amazing on a rolling field, but can be dangerous when you plant one ten feet from the house. Take note of final size before putting in that sampling.

2. Oak Trees Will Live Almost Anywhere

It’s true! Very few environments can deter an oak tree … at least, if you live in the contiguous United States. They’ll happily take root anywhere across the continent except for Alaska, and even grow in Hawaii. Whatever your USDA plant hardiness zone, there’s an oak for you, so check it out.

3. Fall Color for All

Oak trees display almost every type of fall color, from pale yellow to orange to deep scarlet to caramel browns. Whatever your yard’s color scheme in autumn, an oak will do. During spring and summer, oak leaves are typically a deep green, and the bare winter branches make a true statement in winter, especially for long-established specimens.

4. Acorns Are Choosy!

Oaks may produce as many as 2,000 acorns every year, but only 1 in 10,000 acorns will turn into a full-grown oak tree.

5. Oak Trees Come in More Than 600 Varieties

The oak genus is one of the most prolific and variable on Earth, with more than 600 species in existence (that we know of). Species may either be deciduous or evergreen.

The bottom line? Oaks are a mainstay of the backyard and garden. Whether you’re looking for bright color, sweeping shade or a sturdy limb from which to hang a tree swing, Quercus has you covered.

Looking for help with your oaks or other trees? Give Premier Tree Solutions a call. We can help you with tree trimming and pruning, branch removal, storm cleanup, stump grinding, debris removal and more. Whatever you need, we can help, so don’t hesitate to call today.

BE A GEORGIA TREE KNOW-IT-ALL: SWEETBAY TREE

Get to know Georgia’s beautiful array of trees and how you can take care of your own! Each month, we feature some of the most popular trees in the state. For August, we are showcasing the Sweetbay tree. Learn all about Sweebay trees below!