During the spring, when the days are getting longer and warmer, and the birds are singing, it’s the time of year when the sap starts to rise up in our trees. Sap is used by trees to transport minerals and nutrients up from the ground through the tree to the branches and leaves, rather like the blood stream in the human body.
As we all know, trees that lose their leaves becoming dormant over the colder months so they can cope with winter. In the Fall, they move sugars from their leaves to the roots where they are stored over the winter. As long as temperatures are below freezing, the tree takes on water from the surrounding area and then sleeps and waits.
When it starts to warm up in the Spring, tree sap – fueled by the water that’s been stored in the roots starts to slowly rise upwards in the tree, taking the stored sugars from the roots to the branches and twigs where it’s needed to grow its new set of leaves. This rising of sap carries on for many weeks until the water pressure in the roots reaches those lower summer levels.
This process creates the growth and vitality that we see in the spring, when leaves bud and grow, blossom flourishes, and foliage springs to life.
Note that if a tree is pruned or damaged during this time, sap will ooze from the wound and so it’s best not to prune trees in spring. If you see a damaged tree bleeding sap, the best thing is to leave it alone as just like humans it will heal itself and interfering can make things worse.
If you’re concerned about the health of your trees, call Quantum Tree Services and we’d be happy to advise.