Jump to content

Log in or register to remove this advert

The response of trees to dry weather


Ruskins Trees
 Share

Recommended Posts

In the Midlands, East Anglia and the South East, we have had a very dry six months (despite the past few days!). When we have dug holes to trans/plant trees in this area, below a few inches the ground is often very dry and has turned / turns to dust, even clay.

 

Yet I have not seen (I may be myopic) mature trees stressing / switching off, as happened when we had hot and dry (although without the soil so dry) prolonged weather in the recent past.

 

Has anyone else notice this / got any views ? If my observation is correct the best explanation I have is that the trees that made it through the last couple of dry periods must have survived by pushing their roots deeper and are therefore not impacted by this dryness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Log in or register to remove this advert

We're on a dry hill in a sea of drought.

Our oaks have shown no signs at all, our Ashes maybe slightly less leaves?

Sycamore has seemed to suffer a bit this year though, looking quite sorry for themselves, dropping leaves in july.

We've just one big willow and that seemed a little less dense, but only a little.

The apple trees have produced really tiny apples.

 

 

Newly planted trees though.....

I planted about 3000 trees last winter, and I can still see the footprints I made in the only mud I've seen since then. I broke a few spades on the drying (clay soil as we progressed. From half-way february to end of june we had no more than 3mm of rain in any one week, no more than 18mm in total!

Over summer we only had a decent day of rain on the day of my daugters's big birthday do (typical!)

I've not looked through all my notes yet, but we did an audit and found about 12% alive..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

East lincs. Norfolk. Suffolk. Essex. Cambs. Herts. Grtr London. Surrey. Sussex & Kent suffered less than 30% of their average rainfall amount this Spring (1st Mar > 31st May) with a few places recovering to more than the overall avg. between the summer period (1st Jun > 31st Aug) only to fall back again to between 20% to 70% off the overall average for Autumn so far so the final figures for 2011 could well be some of the lowest figures ever recorded for certain areas?

On occasion where I’ve been digging post-holes for way markers during the summer I can’t say I have ever noticed the soil so dry at deep depths where in the past it’s normally been much more wet/moist.

The sweet chestnuts are minute and barely developed has some have pointed out, but has mentioned above only young trees and saplings have really suffered with more mature species somehow adapting to the much drier periods?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  •  

  • Featured Adverts

About

Arbtalk.co.uk is a hub for the arboriculture industry in the UK.  
If you're just starting out and you need business, equipment, tech or training support you're in the right place.  If you've done it, made it, got a van load of oily t-shirts and have decided to give something back by sharing your knowledge or wisdom,  then you're welcome too.
If you would like to contribute to making this industry more effective and safe then welcome.
Just like a living tree, it'll always be a work in progress.
Please have a look around, sign up, share and contribute the best you have.

See you inside.

The Arbtalk Team

Follow us

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.