Hot Weather and Trees

Trees Can Be Severely Affected by Hot Weather.

Here at Tree Surgery Redmond, we frequently see dangerous effects on trees during the summer months. Due to global warming and climate change, many places are recording higher and higher yearly temperatures. Additionally, there is usually very little rainfall during this period.

While most people are aware of how drought stress affects trees, many people who have one or more trees in their property still have no idea and would like to know how their trees can be affected by these increases in temperature.

Monitor Your Trees’ Appearance Closely

Tree owners should be aware that there is a decrease in photosynthesis rate when temperatures rise and this decrease can severely impact the health of your trees. This results in an imbalance since the carbohydrates produced are used up faster.

At higher temperatures, more water evaporates through the stomata of the leaves to cool the tree through the transpiration, so more water has to be transported by the roots to the leaves, stem, and branches. The membranes of the cells in the leaves are also unstable at higher temperatures, and ions may leak in the cell structure of the leaf.

Trees, like most other plants, have evolved their own ways of dealing with temperature increases in the form of special proteins called heat shock proteins (HSPs). These proteins are also found in humans and other animals.

They ensure that even at high temperatures, the proteins in the cells continue to function and are not damaged since this could adversely affect their integrity. The HSPs are formed automatically when temperatures increase and help in stabilizing proteins so that cells continue to function. They also help to slow down the metabolic reactions whose rate would otherwise increase in hot weather, acidifying the cellular tissue and causing imbalances in metabolic products.

Calcium For Strong….. Trunks

Calcium is also important for helping trees adapt to the stress of rising temperatures. It helps to stabilize the cell membranes in leaves and other parts, modulating the activity of the enzymes in the tree. Often, trees manifest physical adaptations to help combat and acclimate better to higher temperatures. Leaves may developed waxy coatings to inhibit water loss through the leaves. The leaf morphology or orientation may change to reduce the amount of light that is intercepted by the leaves. Often the leaves of some plants wilt during the day and some trees may shed their leaves.

It is possible to prepare a tree to handle heat stress and the method of preparing the tree is similar to other plants. The tree should be planted in high quality, fertile soil and soil fertility should be managed. The tree should be irrigated properly so that it receives enough water. It is also advisable to sample the soil to check the amount of calcium, other nutrients in the soil, and other physical properties of the soil. This will help you manage which fertilizers to use to supplement any nutrients that the tree may need to help it cope with higher temperatures.