Keeping it Cool this Summer

ml_work

Chumono
Messages
588
Reaction score
461
Location
Alabama
USDA Zone
8
Last year heat was hard on all my trees. I have some in full sun on the deck, some get morning sun with afternoon shade and some under Pine Trees with filter sun most of the day. I water the trees on the deck in the morning and again around 7pm when I water the rest if needed. I was thinking of something to cool them or the area during the day with a timer on garden hose for testing. If I let it just run a sprinkler it could burn the Deck trees but would cool most of the others without scorch. I can setup 2 different timers for different areas if needed.
What would be the best for Cooling, normal water sprinkler? Misting nozzles around the stands or misting to each pot (which would be hard to do)?
Ideas?
Thanks,
Michael
 

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
Messages
4,920
Reaction score
6,096
Location
Somewhere South of Phoenix
USDA Zone
Hot
Last year heat was hard on all my trees. I have some in full sun on the deck, some get morning sun with afternoon shade and some under Pine Trees with filter sun most of the day. I water the trees on the deck in the morning and again around 7pm when I water the rest if needed. I was thinking of something to cool them or the area during the day with a timer on garden hose for testing. If I let it just run a sprinkler it could burn the Deck trees but would cool most of the others without scorch. I can setup 2 different timers for different areas if needed.
What would be the best for Cooling, normal water sprinkler? Misting nozzles around the stands or misting to each pot (which would be hard to do)?
Ideas?
Thanks,
Michael

Shade cloth is your friend. None of my trees get full sun here past 10AM. Oh they also get watered 4x a day in the sumer but we have 120's and single digit humidity to deal with. Oh yea watch reflected sun, it's a killer.
 

jk_lewis

Masterpiece
Messages
3,817
Reaction score
1,160
Location
Western NC
USDA Zone
7-8
Relying on misters to cool your trees runs the danger of soil that is always too wet.

Shade cloth is a good solution. Wrapping pots with reflecting foil also helps, but it isn't as much the sunlight on the leaves that does the damage as it is the dark pots getting too warm.

(Or, I suppose, you cold just use white or other light-colored pots.)
 

woodguy

Mame
Messages
160
Reaction score
2
Location
Trumbull, ct
USDA Zone
6a
There is also white colored shade cloth as opposed to the black you usually see. I haven't used it but it's supposed to cooler than the black.
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
Spagnum moss will help, keep it damp if possible.

keep it green,
Harry
 

ml_work

Chumono
Messages
588
Reaction score
461
Location
Alabama
USDA Zone
8
WOW, thanks for all the replies!
Shade cloth would be good for the deck trees, I have thought of it often. Could only do one part of the deck and it may be $onetime before I can do it. Last year I did lay a small white towel over the pots of the trees on the deck. It did seem to help keep the heat down some on/in the pots. Most of the trees being evergreen / juniper.
My maples did just as I have read in other post, start out really nice, green and full. Then start to turn brown at end of leaf, loose leaf and then grow more leaves and start to brown again.
The reflected sun off brick is hard on one of the stands, I am working on something to change that.
But my trees in the shade seem the biggest problem, I blame heat, it could be me...

Clyde you must have a water system with timer for 4x a day? Of do you get to stay home and play with the trees all day!

Thanks to All,
Michael
 

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
Messages
4,920
Reaction score
6,096
Location
Somewhere South of Phoenix
USDA Zone
Hot
WOW, thanks for all the replies!
Shade cloth would be good for the deck trees, I have thought of it often. Could only do one part of the deck and it may be $onetime before I can do it. Last year I did lay a small white towel over the pots of the trees on the deck. It did seem to help keep the heat down some on/in the pots. Most of the trees being evergreen / juniper.
My maples did just as I have read in other post, start out really nice, green and full. Then start to turn brown at end of leaf, loose leaf and then grow more leaves and start to brown again.
The reflected sun off brick is hard on one of the stands, I am working on something to change that.
But my trees in the shade seem the biggest problem, I blame heat, it could be me...

Clyde you must have a water system with timer for 4x a day? Of do you get to stay home and play with the trees all day!

Thanks to All,
Michael

Yep I do have overhead spray connected to my yard irrigation timer. I am not convinced it is the best thing so I am still tinkering. It creates lots of hard water spots on the leaves.
 

jk_lewis

Masterpiece
Messages
3,817
Reaction score
1,160
Location
Western NC
USDA Zone
7-8
My maples did just as I have read in other post, start out really nice, green and full. Then start to turn brown at end of leaf, loose leaf and then grow more leaves and start to brown again.

You simply have to expect that of Japanese maples in most of the deep south. You learn to anticipate upcoming shows and to defoliate a sufficient time before hand that the leavs will be fresh and green for the show.
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
One thing that comes to mind looking at this is where you are talking about. You have these on the deck which is heating and radiating to the trees. Unless you shade the deck, not just the trees you have most of the same issue. Suggestion would be to move the trees off the deck which is getting and holding the heat. Shade may still be needed, but now on a smaller scale maybe.
 

ml_work

Chumono
Messages
588
Reaction score
461
Location
Alabama
USDA Zone
8
I did move / rotate what was on the deck last summer. Moved the maples down and had a couple of JBP and Junipers on the deck for direct sun. They did good except for 1 pine, I had re-potted it in spring. It was one close to the brick, I think maybe too much heat and stress.
For the maples, I have thought maybe it was my location. Then I see maples Brain has posted that look great and he is about 100 mile north of me. Would think it should be about the same, but he has been at this many years too.

Thanks,
Michael
 

milehigh_7

Mister 500,000
Messages
4,920
Reaction score
6,096
Location
Somewhere South of Phoenix
USDA Zone
Hot
I did move / rotate what was on the deck last summer. Moved the maples down and had a couple of JBP and Junipers on the deck for direct sun. They did good except for 1 pine, I had re-potted it in spring. It was one close to the brick, I think maybe too much heat and stress.
For the maples, I have thought maybe it was my location. Then I see maples Brain has posted that look great and he is about 100 mile north of me. Would think it should be about the same, but he has been at this many years too.

Thanks,
Michael

Radiant heat from walls, bricks etc is an absolute killer. You have to mind not just where the sun is shining directly but also what is absorbing and then radiating out the sun's heat later.
 
Top Bottom