Drought Stress Alert
Trees and Shrubs
Rainfall in New Jersey has been half of normal or less for the month of July alone. Drought conditions for Trees & Shrubs are very stressful and can sometimes kill them outright.
Newly planted trees and shrubs are particularly vulnerable because their root systems aren’t fully developed. They have a harder time foraging for moisture. Depending on the species, site and planting practices, that might mean keeping two- to five-year-old plantings carefully watered during dry periods, hopefully preventing drought-caused leaf damage or loss in the first place.
But don’t give up on trees and shrubs that have shed their leaves. Go ahead and water them. It's better late than never. If they’re still alive, they’ll grow new leaves. And after two weeks of photosynthesizing they’ll have made up for the extra effort it took them to re-leaf. Any extra energy the leaves gather after that can be channeled into new growth or stored by the plants to help them get through winter.
Watering Tips for Trees and Shrubs
