Dieback is a catch-all term to mean that something has died without a defined cause.
The dieback that homeowners are seeing this spring is a direct result of the sudden and untimely temperature drops we saw in December, January, and March. Each time, unseasonably warm weather was followed by drastically low temps, causing injury to buds and small stems.
Excessively dry weather from October until March further stressed the trees resulting in erratic growth and definite dieback.
Then, when the excessive rains came in April, root systems were stressed (they couldn’t breathe). Warm sunny days followed, further stressing the leaves and branches. Something had to give.
What can be done to prevent this in the future?
Water thoroughly when needed, regardless of the time of year (and, it was definitely needed this winter).
Mulch trees annually around Thanksgiving to help reduce soil temperature fluctuations. Other benefits with mulching include weed control, reducing water stress, keeping the weed eaters away from skinning the bark, and decomposing to nourish the soil.
Inspect trees monthly (year round) to look for insect or disease problems and pruning needs. Besides, you need an excuse to admire your beautiful trees, right?
