Trees planted within the last two or three years are the ones most likely to struggle right now. Their root systems haven't spread far enough to pull water from deeper, cooler soil, so Birmingham's summer heat hits them harder than it hits a mature oak down the street.
Scorched or curling leaf edges, especially on maples and dogwoods, are usually the first visible sign. By the time a tree drops leaves outright in July, it's already been under stress for weeks.
Deep, slow watering once or twice a week does far more good than a quick daily sprinkler cycle, which mostly wets the surface and encourages shallow roots that struggle even more in heat like this.
Have you noticed any leaf scorch or early leaf drop on trees you planted in the last couple of years?
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A close-up photo of a real leaf showing scorch or curl at the edges, ideally from a recent job or a client's yard, paired with a wider shot of the tree it belongs to.
Canva text suggestion: "New Trees Feel Birmingham's Heat First" or "Watering Deep Beats Watering Often"