Mother Nature has sure thrown us a few curveballs this year. From unseasonably warm days in March to freezing temperature and snow flurries in May… There seems to be no “normal” anymore. As stewards of the environment, we are certainly being forced to stay on our toes now more than ever!
Due to the weather in 2020 so far, we have a few notes for you about plant health.
Frost Burn:
We have seen several varieties of boxwoods with frost damage. The nice new foliage was burned by the very cold mornings, causing it to turn brown. This won’t kill the plant, but it does look unsightly. It can be pruned out carefully, but over time it will grow out of it and you won’t see the brown.
Moisture & Tree Root Growth:
Did you know that not all trees have a large, deep tap root? Most evergreens are actually used to growing on the side of a rocky hill (or mountain) to have a more fibrous, spreading root system. While this is a great growth tactic for mountainous settings, it is not so good for Ohio—especially when we have soaking rains and an over-saturated ground! Then add some recent high winds, and you will see many Evergreen trees blow over.
The roots just do not have anything to hold on to when the ground is so wet.They can’t support the weight from the tops of the trees. While your deciduous shade trees can get broken branches and limbs (ie: oaks, maples and poplars), their structure has a tap root system that allows these trees to not uproot and blow over in high wind conditions.
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