Palm trees are a quintessential part of the Florida landscape. What residents and gardeners there may not know is that they are available in many species. However, they are not able to tolerate extremely low temperatures indefinitely, and so when they are cold-damaged they need special attention. Florida Keys tree services can provide advice and assistance in treating and potentially saving damaged palms.
An interesting fact about the palm tree's life cycle is that its new leaves grow and mature in the summer. This is something that has to be taken into account in tending to the damaged tree. The buds or spears that are visible on the trunk are the miniature shoots from which the new leaves grow and develop. It is these spears that are used in inspecting trees and determining if they are going to survive or how bad the damage is.
So, once the damage has been done by the cold snap or bad weather, the first thing to do is to check the spears. You simply look at them, since you can tell by eye what the situation is. Also, pull on one or two of them with your fingers. The spear might snap off and come away in your hand. If it is still green, the tree has a hope of recovery.
If trees are worth spending more time on, the next step is to prune away all the dead foliage. Dead branches and leaves must be removed. However, do not remove partially dead leaves, since these are still relied on by trees to manufacture the nutrients that it needs for new growth. In other words, they are still active and should not be pruned.
As curious as it may sound, a tree is also susceptible to infection by bacteria. This is a significant threat to the tree after it has suffered cold damage. More often, though, trees are attacked by fungi. In order to protect against these infections, disinfectant sprays are available on the market. These are cooper-based sprays that should be sprayed onto the spears.
In order to combat the cold itself, you can use the cold protection products. They apparently provide trees with heightened cold tolerance in low temperatures. Then there are the fertilizers which are supposed to supply the tree with more nutrients in the soil. The important point about them is that they should only be given in summer, during the growth season.
Consequences of the cold damage can take a long time to manifest themselves. Even if the tree survives, and even if it maintains all its original buds, the new leaves that grow during the next summer can be deformed or brown. Gardeners should realize that the tree won't recover entirely from the damage during the next growth season. It might take up to a year for that to happen.
Removing trees from the garden or landscape, or allowing them to perish, is a serious decision, since they are regarded as permanent features. It can also take a considerable amount of time to see if the tree is going to survive its cold damage. Ramrod Key Fl tree services can advise you on the status of the tree and what its prospects are.
An interesting fact about the palm tree's life cycle is that its new leaves grow and mature in the summer. This is something that has to be taken into account in tending to the damaged tree. The buds or spears that are visible on the trunk are the miniature shoots from which the new leaves grow and develop. It is these spears that are used in inspecting trees and determining if they are going to survive or how bad the damage is.
So, once the damage has been done by the cold snap or bad weather, the first thing to do is to check the spears. You simply look at them, since you can tell by eye what the situation is. Also, pull on one or two of them with your fingers. The spear might snap off and come away in your hand. If it is still green, the tree has a hope of recovery.
If trees are worth spending more time on, the next step is to prune away all the dead foliage. Dead branches and leaves must be removed. However, do not remove partially dead leaves, since these are still relied on by trees to manufacture the nutrients that it needs for new growth. In other words, they are still active and should not be pruned.
As curious as it may sound, a tree is also susceptible to infection by bacteria. This is a significant threat to the tree after it has suffered cold damage. More often, though, trees are attacked by fungi. In order to protect against these infections, disinfectant sprays are available on the market. These are cooper-based sprays that should be sprayed onto the spears.
In order to combat the cold itself, you can use the cold protection products. They apparently provide trees with heightened cold tolerance in low temperatures. Then there are the fertilizers which are supposed to supply the tree with more nutrients in the soil. The important point about them is that they should only be given in summer, during the growth season.
Consequences of the cold damage can take a long time to manifest themselves. Even if the tree survives, and even if it maintains all its original buds, the new leaves that grow during the next summer can be deformed or brown. Gardeners should realize that the tree won't recover entirely from the damage during the next growth season. It might take up to a year for that to happen.
Removing trees from the garden or landscape, or allowing them to perish, is a serious decision, since they are regarded as permanent features. It can also take a considerable amount of time to see if the tree is going to survive its cold damage. Ramrod Key Fl tree services can advise you on the status of the tree and what its prospects are.