When most people think about trees and plants and how they survive, the first thing that comes to mind is that they need water to grow and thrive. Those people are not wrong. Trees are more likely to survive when they have plenty of sunshine and natural rainfall. Unfortunately, this ideal situation is not always possible. In many cases, trees can grow in what is considered a dry site.
Some trees are put in a place where there is either a lack of natural rainfall, a lack of soil volume, or a sandy or clay-like soil.
Trees Thriving in Dry Soil
Evergreen breeds, especially pine and spruce usually have the best chance of surviving in dry soil. Their secret is that they accumulate moisture in the winter. Once spring comes around, these trees take that water and use it to do most of their growing. Then, during the heat of the summer, the trees can focus less on growing, so a lack of water is not as worrisome. Other evergreen breeds known for survival in this scenario include the atlas cedar, Chinese juniper, Australian pine, and the Colorado Spruce.
There are several other breeds that can survive these dryer circumstances and they include the river birch, crabapple, American linden, honey locust, the eastern cottonwood, and the black and green ash, just to name a few.
Helping Trees to Survive
Still, even though these trees can survive in dry sites, that doesn’t mean that they can’t use a little help. To mitigate the dangers of a dry site, you can install efficient irrigation systems, reduce the amount of fertilizer used during droughts, and water the trees in the early mornings or later at night.
At Cold Stream Farm, we want your trees to be healthy and successful no matter what environment they call home, so we offer trees that will thrive in wet and dry sites. Contact us today to learn more about our inventory.
