Some trees are starting to change color and shed leaves, a sign that they have been stressed by the severe drought in the Rochester region.
Laurie Broccolo of Broccolo Tree and Lawn Care says it's important not to fertilize an older, existing tree, but there are some things you can do to help your trees survive the abnormally dry conditions.
"With this drought, we're affecting the microorganisms in the soil that would normally aerate and continue to help release nutrients into the tree. What you want to do is soak it with a soaker hose for a good hour or so for each tree. Then in the fall, it would be very helpful to do some aerating around that soil.
Broccolo advises people not to mow their lawns for the rest of the season. "Because every time you're mowing you're stressing the grass,” she said. “You're also compacting the soil with the machinery. Sometimes less is much better by doing nothing. At this point, we just want to add some water as a supplement."
She says give the lawn a good soaking – an inch or so of water - and be ready to re-seed in mid-September to give the root system a chance to survive the winter. "Definitely do not wait for spring seeding,” Broccolo said. “Because that is going to compete with weed seeds, and guess who's gonna win?"
