By: Grady Herzog

With the drought and wildfires being discussed in the news almost daily, the topics of landscape maintenance and irrigation is becoming a daily issue as well. Watering restrictions are in place as well as burn bans across the state. Many lawns and trees are showing signs of stress and are very difficult to maintain in a healthy state. As I commute around the area I have noticed many trees that have succumbed to the drought. There are many trees and shrubs that are already dead and many more that are stressed. Accordingly, many plants will continue to die off in the coming months or even years as they are weakened and become more susceptible to disease and insect infestation.  

Trees and shrubs should be fertilized and watered deeply to help maintain their health. Typical irrigation will not be sufficient enough without supplemental watering. Tree bags, slow soaking or deep watering using a long pipe pushed down to the root system can be utilized for this. Deep tree watering apparatuses and additional information are available at most landscape supply outlets. Over watering can be an issue as well, so don’t overdo it. Consult with your local landscape experts to help maintain a healthy landscape.