To help alleviate damage due to dry soils or limited root systems, water once per week for recently transplanted trees or every two weeks for large trees if there is no rainfall. Also, root damage due to disease, insects, poor drainage or construction can cause poor water uptake. That root damage is now making it more difficult for trees to provide all the water needed for the leaves. In certain cases so much rain was received that oxygen was driven from the soil resulting in root damage. As mentioned, trees may be more sensitive to scorch this year because of the heavy rains many areas received this spring. Shallow soils such as those over hardpan or rock lead to a limited root system that may not be able to absorb all the water needed. Though scorch can be due solely to the weather, the condition of the roots of plants can make them much more susceptible to this condition. White pines are also prone to this condition due to the delicacy of the needles. Leaves may be affected over the entire tree or may be affected only on one side. Scorched leaves turn brown or, in some cases, turn black from the edges and between the major veins. Though scorch is usually associated with droughty periods, it can appear even when the soil is moist. Moisture is lost so quickly from the leaves that roots can't absorb and transfer water quickly enough to replace what is lost. This year, the wet spring may have compromised root systems so that they are now struggling to provide the moisture needed by the leaves. This is not a disease but rather a physiological problem associated with damaged roots, storm damage, limited soil area, or hot, dry winds. Leaf scorch is starting to show up on maples and other trees and shrubs.
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