SACRAMENTO, Calif. — There is no question trees do quite well in Northern California, especially the valley locations. Plentiful winter rain and a cool spring for 2023 have made caring for the crucial growth period for trees rather easy but the weather will make it more challenging.
People with the Davey Tree Expert Company said to look for early signs that the tree may be stressed from heat. Look for leaf rolling or "cupping," scorched edges, dead leaves or leaves falling off, or little to no growth. These are signs the warmer, drier weather is limiting the health of your trees. When photosynthesis, the process that feeds a tree, is limited it can damage the tree long term and invite disease or pests to take advantage and further damage the tree.
Some issues can be avoided simply by watering the tree in addition to what it gets naturally from the soil, but they advise doing it correctly. You want to water deeply, but not very often. A drip hose extended to the outer edges of the canopy can help get water to the extent of the roots and a longer duration will allow it to seep into the roots and keep water further away from the top layer that experiences more evaporation. Be cautious not to apply too much water right at the base of the tree trunk as that can cause problems.
Mulch can help lower evaporation over the watered root area and keep the tree healthy as well.
Common native species of trees for California like coast live oaks, or valley oaks do well in this climate. Cedar trees and magnolia trees are also common and successful in the valley locations of California.
Watch more on ABC10
