How to Care for Your Drought-Stressed Trees

During a prolonged drought in Fairfax County, your prized trees could die before you know it if you don’t take action. Being aware of the warning signs and knowing what to do and not to do during a drought could be the difference between saving a tree and having to remove it. Learn more about how to care for your trees during a Northern Virginia drought.

Key Takeaways:

• Prolonged drought conditions in Northern Virginia can severely damage trees by killing root hairs, limiting photosynthesis, and potentially killing trees if not addressed.
• Signs of drought stress include wilting, yellowing or scorched leaves, premature leaf drop, bark cracks, dead branches, slowed growth, and stunted leaves.
• To protect trees during drought, water them deeply and slowly in the morning, focusing on the area under the canopy rather than the trunk.
• During drought, avoid fertilizing trees and pruning live branches as these activities create additional stress on already struggling trees.
• Proper mulching with a 2-4 inch layer of organic wood chips can help retain soil moisture during summer heat.

The Dangers of Drought to Your Trees

Droughts are no fun for anyone, but your trees and shrubs can bear the worst of it. While we can stay hydrated by getting water from the tap, trees don’t have that luxury. And water is critical, as it allows them to take up nutrients from the soil and transport them throughout the tree.

While a minor period of dryness that lasts for a few days won’t cause much long-term harm, a drought that lasts for months can have life-changing effects on the tree.

Droughts harm the roots, specifically the root hairs in the top 15 inches of the soil that are responsible for much of the water uptake. As the dryness continues, the root hairs will die and sharply decrease the tree’s water uptake ability until they can regrow the roots.

To avoid losing additional water during the drought, a tree may perform the process of stomatal closure. During this process, it will close its pores to prevent evaporation of water. While it aids in short-term water retention, it will limit a plant’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide and perform photosynthesis.

If a drought lasts long enough, a tree can eventually die.

Symptoms of Drought Stress in Northern Virginia Trees

The signs of drought stress are most noticeable in the tree’s foliage, though you can see them in the branches and trunk as conditions deteriorate. Some of the signs to look for include:

• Leaf wilting
• Yellowing and discolored leaves
• Scorched leaves
• Premature leaf drop
• Bark cracks
• Dead branches
• Slowed growth
• Stunted leaves

Is Northern Virginia in a Drought?

Drought has been a constant concern for Northern Virginia homeowners from 2024 into 2025. Drought conditions started in Fairfax County in June 2024 and lasted until October. Though conditions had improved, most residents were still in a state of “abnormally dry” conditions.

An incredibly dry October, the sixth driest in Fairfax County history, brought residents back into either D1 or D2 drought classifications. Conditions have begun to improve as of May, though almost all of the county is still under drought conditions.

With the long-standing drought conditions, the local economy has taken a hit, with farmers having smaller yields than in years before. The drought harmed the vibrancy of our fall foliage and has highlighted the lack of backup water supply in DC and Arlington.

The Dos and Don’ts of Caring for Your Trees During a Summer Drought

Now that we’ve established just how dangerous a drought can be and its continued lingering in the Northern Virginia area, we can prescribe some treatments for your trees.

Homeowners have to be careful when dealing with drought-stressed trees. While action can help them recover during a dry period, doing the wrong things can cause even more harm. Two things you should do and two things you should not do for your drought-stressed trees include:

A soaker hose, like the one pictured above, can allow you to water your trees deeply during a drought.

DO Water Your Trees Regularly

It may sound obvious, but watering your trees during a summer drought is a simple way to relieve some drought stress in your trees. While watering in normal conditions typically focuses on young saplings, drought conditions mean you should also give your mature trees water as well.

Some simple tips for watering during a drought include:

• Water in the Morning: Morning hydration prevents the water from evaporating in the sun and heat. Try to get it done first thing in the morning, as the period from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tends to be when water evaporates the most.
• Focus on Deep and Slow Watering: The goal with watering in a drought is to get as much water deep into the ground as possible. You can do this through an irrigation system, though that isn’t feasible for some homeowners. A soaker hose can also help deliver water slowly to the soil. Deep watering ensures the hydration gets to the deeper roots and encourages better root growth.
• Keep the Trunk Dry: Never water the trunk of the tree, as there are no roots there, and the dampness can cause rot. Instead of watering the trunk, do it under the tree’s canopy to ensure as many roots get hydration as possible.
• Avoid Overwatering: Even though your trees are dealing with drought stress, it is still possible to overwater them. The general rule of thumb is 10 gallons of water for each inch of a tree trunk’s diameter. If you’re worried about overwatering, discuss your tree’s needs with an arborist.

DON’T Fertilize Your Trees

Fertilization for trees is an efficient way to correct a nutrient deficiency, but it’s something to avoid while a drought is ongoing. Fertilization during a drought can harm trees in a few ways, such as drawing water from the roots to process the nutrients and causing the tree to use energy to put out new growth.

After the dryness subsides and Northern Virginia returns to normal conditions, you can consider fertilization after conducting a soil test. The extra nutrients can help a tree recover from any drought damage now that it has adequate water to process the fertilizer.

DO Check and Refresh the Mulch Around Your Tree

Mulch, when appropriately used, can help your tree during a drought. Organic wood chip mulch acts as a blanket over the soil that decreases direct sunlight on the ground. This lack of direct sunlight will keep the soil cooler and limit the amount of evaporation that can occur.

However, using mulch the wrong way can worsen the effects of drought. There are two main mistakes a homeowner can make with mulch:

• Too Much Mulch: Applying more than a 2-4 inch layer of woodchips can suffocate the soil and is excessive2. Over-mulching leads to the soil not getting enough water, which can complicate the effects of drought.
• Mulching Around the Tree’s Base: Many people create a “mulch volcano” by piling it against the trunk, unknowingly harming a tree. Mulch volcanoes will cause the trunk to develop rot that can further increase problems in a tree struggling with drought.

When there is a dry spell, it’s vital to inspect the mulch around your tree to ensure it hasn’t become piled up anywhere. Keep the mulch layer light during the drought to ensure the ground can get sufficient hydration.

While pruning a tree has many benefits, it is something to avoid in most instances during a drought.

DON’T Prune Live Branches

Tree trimming is essential, as it makes trees safer in a storm and has numerous health benefits. As with everything, there is a time and a place for proper tree pruning. One simple pruning mistake you can make with your trees is to trim live wood during a drought.

Pruning any live branches causes stress in your trees when they don’t have adequate water. It will have to use energy to seal the wounds and recover from the damage, causing additional stress on a tree that is already struggling. Save any live wood pruning for later in the year when conditions improve.

While you should avoid trimming any live branches, there is never a bad time to have a professional tree service remove deadwood. Removing dead branches will increase your tree’s safety in a storm and won’t lead to additional stress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tree Care During a Northern Virginia Drought

To help you better understand the danger that drought poses to your trees, we’ve answered some of the common questions homeowners have about caring for them during dry periods.

How can I tell if Northern Virginia is in a drought?

The easiest way to determine if your neighborhood is in a drought is to consult Drought.gov. You can enter your town or ZIP code to get an idea of current conditions and the historical drought problems your area has faced previously.

Will a drought kill my tree?

The occasional period of dryness likely won’t kill a tree or do much long-term harm. However, prolonged drought can potentially kill a tree, especially young ones without an extensive root system. Watering can help get them through the worst of the drought.

What other tree care should I have a professional perform in the summer?

Along with managing drought stress, there are other important tree care tasks best left to the pros. These services include:

• Prune trees when drought subsides to improve structure and remove competing branches.
• Remove dead or dangerous trees that are on your property.
• Have an arborist inspect your trees for signs of damage from insects and diseases.

Don’t Let Northern Virginia’s Drought Take Down Your Trees – Call Green Vista

As Northern Virginia continues to deal with drought conditions and the fallout of this prolonged period of dryness, more and more homeowners are growing concerned about their trees. If you aren’t sure if they are dealing with drought stress, the expert team at Green Vista Tree Care can help.

Our team offers tree care consultations where we will inspect your tree and provide you with ideas and solutions to help with the effects of drought. Or, if the tree has died from the drought, we can remove it. Call us today at 571-244-3838 or request a complimentary estimate online.