It was a cold February….
6 Jun
I can’t believe the amount of calls and emails we are receiving regarding trees with poor leaf showing. Even the Ornamental Pear that I have had in the front of my house for 15 years looks sparse. We here in the GTA region have been lucky for the last 20 years – we have had relatively mild winters in comparison. The last two winters have been really hard on our trees. Two years ago our trees suffered from ice damage. Last year it was cold – particularly for three weeks in February -30 to be exact. So what does that have to do with leaves? The trees have set bud in the fall and are ready to pop in spring. However, with the cold temperatures for so long the roots have frozen. Thus, when spring comes and the trees begin to leaf out there is not enough nutrients for all the leaves. This maybe why alot of the tops of trees are sparse. Another problem with the frigid temperatures has been the freezing of the buds at the union – where the bud meets the branch. The initial bud is frozen but the tree may generate a secondary bud below the union. My tree which every year since I got it produced a beautiful profusion of flowers – this year it really pooped. What to do? You can try adding some bone meal. Bone meal is a natural root stimulant and will aid in repairing the roots. So don’t give up on your trees yet!
Crimson King Maple
Crimson King Maple
Ornamental pear