Sever lack of water experienced in a draught will directly affect a tree's growth in ways we might not think. Water keeps a tree alive allowing it to stand and stay standing. Water provides for vines, leaves, and less woody structures to have substance. Water carries soil nutrients through out the tree promoting plant health and growth. Granular fertilizers dissolve in water and are then transported by water into all areas of the plant. A plant can only receive fertilizer through water's transportation. Water is a major factor in photosynthesis. A tree is much more vulnerable to insects and diseases following a draught. When you're ill, you are more prone to other illnesses because your immune system is weak and you don't have the strength to fight. A draught stricken tree may show signs of die back or decline. When roots are unable to supply nutrients and water to the crown of the tree, the crown may die. A tree takes up water from the soil through its roots then up into the canopy. Water not used by the tree is released through tiny leaf openings, called stomata, but when the tree experiences a water deficit the openings will close. If the openings remain closed for a long period, photosynthesis will cease and the tree stops growing. This means death to the tree. What symptoms will we see years following a draught? A tree's growth is minimized for the current season and the growth processes in the following years will be adversely affected. A tree's food reserves will be low and it will have less energy to produce next year's growth as well as the leaf, flower and fruit buds. Your prized shade tree may have fewer leaves, flowers or fruit in the years to come and its overall growth may be slight. The tree is not vigorous and may experience disease and insect attack. Leaf color in summer and fall could be less vibrant. We could probably go on and on but the cause and outcome will be the same. We will wonder why our tree is not the same. Something is wrong. For the next ten years a lot of trees may be lost. We forgot about the heat and draught of 2012. Have gardening questions, contact your county Extension Service office. A master gardener is in the office Monday through Friday 9am to 12 noon at the Peoria County office, 4810 N. Sheridan Rd., Peoria, IL 61614 Telephone 685-3140, ext. 13 e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org visit our web site web.extension.illinois.edu for more gardening and landscape information