I transplanted these two trees a few months ago, well before summer. But it was a warm few months and they were out in full sun. They’ve suffered some burn and all of the small exterior branches have dried up.
It’s time to give them some TLC as it’s December here in Perth and daily temps are up around 30 – 40C / 85 – 105F. All right, let’s get to work!
Shade
Firstly let’s get them out of full sun. The sun here in Australia cooks trees with no leaves and the ability to transpire and draw more water up.
I moved both of the trees under the back verandah in the shade with no direct sun. They have shade cloth behind them so no sun will hit them at all.
Water
Next, I gave them a biiiig drink. They’ve been thirsty and the soil has been drying out by the middle of the day. That means they’ve been cooking for the last half of the day and dry all night.
I did run the sprinkler over them in the afternoons, but it wasn’t enough.
Fresh Soil
Top up the soil. Because of the heat, the soil has dried and compacted and needs a refresh. Lift the plant and soil (root ball) out and add a little fresh soil and fertiliser to the base of the pot.
Then replace the plant and root ball and add more fertiliser and top it up with soil.
Mulch
Cover the soil with a thick layer of mulch. I’m using oaten hay at the moment and it seems to work well. 7cm / 2 inches is good.
Water
Water them in again so the fertiliser starts to working the soil and mulch settled down.
Recovery
Water it in. Keep the soil slightly moist and within a couple weeks you may see recovery signs if it’s warm. Small green leaves will sprout, a good sign.
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