08/13/2026
🌳 PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR TREES DURING THIS HEAT! 🌳
With the extreme heat and extended dry conditions, one of the best things homeowners can do right now is make sure their trees are receiving deep, thorough watering.
Something a lot of people don’t realize is that drought damage doesn’t necessarily end when we finally get rain.
Severe drought can damage or kill some of a tree’s fine feeder roots—the roots responsible for absorbing much of its water and nutrients. Once those roots are damaged, a tree can remain stressed for months or even years, even after moisture returns.
And that’s when other problems can start.
🐛 Many wood-boring insects are more likely to attack trees that are already weakened or stressed.
Drought-stressed trees can also become more vulnerable to:
• Wood-boring insects
• Bark beetles
• Root diseases
• Cankers
• Branch dieback
• Premature leaf drop
• Thinning canopies
• Overall decline
One issue we see in our area, especially on stressed oaks and other hardwoods, is Hypoxylon canker. Early detection is important. Depending on the severity and overall condition of the tree, treatment options, including injections, may help support the tree and improve its chances, although trees that are already severely affected may not respond successfully.
⚠️ A tree does not have to look dead to be in trouble.
Watch for:
🍂 Leaves turning brown around the edges
🍂 Leaves dropping earlier than normal
🌳 A canopy that’s becoming thinner
🌳 Dead tips or branches appearing throughout the canopy
🐛 Small holes, sawdust-like material, or insect activity on the trunk
🪵 Bark beginning to loosen or fall away
🌱 Reduced or unusually small new growth
And don’t assume your lawn sprinkler is automatically giving your mature trees enough water. Mature trees often need slow, deep watering that reaches farther into the root zone.
💧 Water slowly and thoroughly when possible, and avoid watering during the hottest part of the day when more moisture can be lost to evaporation.
Adding 2–3 inches of mulch over the root zone can also help the soil hold moisture longer, but avoid piling mulch directly against the trunk.
🌳 The biggest thing I want people to know is this: sometimes the tree that starts declining next year was actually damaged by the heat and drought it experienced this year.
Taking care of that stress early can make a big difference.
If you’re seeing something unusual with one of your trees and aren’t sure what you’re looking at, feel free to send me a picture. I’m always happy to help point you in the right direction.
North Texas Tree Expert Company, LLC
ISA Certified Arborist TX-5026A 🌳
