Leaf scorch comes in a variety of shapes and sizes – and can require a variety of treatments in order to remedy the problem. That’s what this week’s blog is about.
There are three primary forms of leaf scorch – and here’s what they are and how to deal with them:
There are three primary forms of leaf scorch – and here’s what they are and how to deal with them:
Environmental leaf scorch
This type of scorch happens when the sun burns the leaves on your trees due to things happening in the environment around them such as dry weather, lack of rain and very high temperatures. It’s not usually caused by any kind of structural deficiency like blockage – it’s just that there’s not enough water to distribute through the trunk of the tree and into the branches and leaves. Simply water your tree deeply and provided your tree is healthy, you should be fine. In addition, mulch can be a great friend as it helps to trap moisture.
Bacterial leaf scorch
Bacterial leaf scorch can look like environmental leaf scorch, but there are a few differences worth noting. Bacterial scorch is an actual disease that comes back year after year, browning your trees’ leaves more and more each year. It’s also weather triggered, so in July and August, it tends to rear its ugly head.
It needs to be treated quickly because unless you address it – it will keep coming back year after year – and get worse. Water and mulch can help a lot – but you’ll likely need to incorporate some other forms of assistance like fertilizers. And when you get to fertilizers, it’s best to call a pro.
Nutrient scorch
Nutrient scorch is caused largely by a vitamin and nutrient deficiency in the soil. The two most common culprits are a lack of iron or manganese. To diagnose it, look for browning in between the veins of the leaves themselves and at the tips of the branches themselves.
Solving this issue requires testing your soil to figure out what nutrients your soil lacks so that you can provide the right ones with fertilizers and others growth enhancers. Again – this is probably professional territory, so call your local arborist to get help. It’s an entirely solvable problem, it just needs someone who knows what they’re looking at.
To be proactive, do some research on your trees’ ideal growing conditions and try to supplement as best as you can. And if you have questions, you can always call us!
This type of scorch happens when the sun burns the leaves on your trees due to things happening in the environment around them such as dry weather, lack of rain and very high temperatures. It’s not usually caused by any kind of structural deficiency like blockage – it’s just that there’s not enough water to distribute through the trunk of the tree and into the branches and leaves. Simply water your tree deeply and provided your tree is healthy, you should be fine. In addition, mulch can be a great friend as it helps to trap moisture.
Bacterial leaf scorch
Bacterial leaf scorch can look like environmental leaf scorch, but there are a few differences worth noting. Bacterial scorch is an actual disease that comes back year after year, browning your trees’ leaves more and more each year. It’s also weather triggered, so in July and August, it tends to rear its ugly head.
It needs to be treated quickly because unless you address it – it will keep coming back year after year – and get worse. Water and mulch can help a lot – but you’ll likely need to incorporate some other forms of assistance like fertilizers. And when you get to fertilizers, it’s best to call a pro.
Nutrient scorch
Nutrient scorch is caused largely by a vitamin and nutrient deficiency in the soil. The two most common culprits are a lack of iron or manganese. To diagnose it, look for browning in between the veins of the leaves themselves and at the tips of the branches themselves.
Solving this issue requires testing your soil to figure out what nutrients your soil lacks so that you can provide the right ones with fertilizers and others growth enhancers. Again – this is probably professional territory, so call your local arborist to get help. It’s an entirely solvable problem, it just needs someone who knows what they’re looking at.
To be proactive, do some research on your trees’ ideal growing conditions and try to supplement as best as you can. And if you have questions, you can always call us!
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