Monsoon Season Has Arrived!

June 15th marked the official start of monsoon season.  The following tips will help protect trees from monsoon damage and provide instructions on proper tree selection and planting, which is the fundamental step in keeping trees safe from wind and flooding.

Most trees blow over during monsoon season because of poor root development as opposed to crown growth.  Every tree is unique and every planting location is unique.  It is best to consult with a certified tree care professional or arborist about establishing good root systems for your trees, but here are some important basic principles to help prepare your tree for  monsoon season.

Buy a good tree.  A quality tree, regardless of type, will have a well established root system in the container but will not have any large circling roots.  The tree should have good trunk taper that shows a noticeably larger diameter at the base than the rest of the trunk.  The tree should have as much foliage as possible over the entire trunk.  If all the branches have been pruned off the lower half and middle of the trunk to make it look “like a tree” then it will be weak.  Do not prune your tree for the first two years.  The first two years in the life of a tree is all about establishing a root system.  More foliage means more food to grow roots and develop trunk strength and caliper.

Move drip irrigation emitters outwards from the trunks of the trees as they grow.  This will apply water closer to where the absorbing roots are located below the outer crown of the tree.  Don’t over-water your trees.  Water deeply but only as frequently as needed.  Allow the soil to drain out and become infiltrated with oxygen again before the next irrigation cycle.  If your tree tends to blow over in the wind because it has less than adequate anchoring roots, do your best to keep the soil dry during windy periods.  Remember the monsoon humidity means less water loss from the tree so it does not need as much water as it needed in June. 

Adjust and/or remove tree ties and stakes as needed.  Keep the ties loose enough to allow trunk movement.  Movement increases trunk strength.  Any tree still needing stakes after two years has failed to  develop adequate roots and should be considered for replacement. 

Thinning will probably be necessary  in most cases, especially if the foliage is dense and located higher up in the tree.  Remember that foliage should be distributed evenly throughout the tree.  This means horizontally, vertically, inside, and out and no more than 25% of the foliage should be removed.  Trees that are raised too high without proper thinning are the first to blow over.  A well balanced crown will have at least 50% of its foliage originating in the lower 2/3 of the tree.