The summer solstice has arrived and with it our weather has shifted right on schedule from a cool, slightly damp spring to full-on hot, dry, and windy conditions. Whether you planted a tree recently or have mature trees in a turfed yard or a xericscaped one, they will all need supplemental water.
Many of us are fooled into thinking that our trees can harvest enough water from out infrequent and sometimes heavy summer rains but generally even the heaviest of thunderstorms don’t drop enough moisture to penetrate to your tree’s root zone.
If you have planted a tree this spring, it will need daily water for the first month. Assuming the tree has an inch-and-a-half caliper (check the diameter six inches above the ground), three gallons around the base should suffice. In the following month, you can cut back to a like amount every other day.
For the balance of the summer continue to water your young tree a couple of times per week. The best way to water is a sprinkler set very low, a soaker hose, or a five-gallon bucket with a few small holes drilled near the base. Add a rock to the bottom of the bucket so it doesn’t blow away when empty. Calibrate your device’s water output by timing how long it takes to fill a three-gallon bucket.
If you planted a tree within the past few years, it will also need considerable supplemental water. In years two and three and even beyond, start to water your tree away from just the base to encourage root growth. Use the drip line, that area from the base out to the end of the branches as your guide. A good rule of thumb is to provide the tree with 10 gallons of water each week per inch of diameter. So a two-inch caliper tree would receive 20 gallons.
Even mature trees need supplemental water in our climate. If you use a sprinkler to water your lawn, you are likely only watering the top few inches. This will keep your lawn happy but your tree’s roots are farther below the surface. A good soak to the drip line once or twice a month is required.
If your tree is out in the parkway strip where conditions tend to be hotter and drier consider more frequent watering.
When summer passes and the trees drop their leaves and go dormant, you will still need to think about watering. In our high, dry environment where winters can often be snow-free for months at a time, tree roots can dry out. Water monthly on warm days if the ground isn’t frozen.
Under-watered trees are not likely to be healthy trees. Signs of water insufficiency include wilted leaves, premature leaf drop in the fall, and/or branch dieback in the upper canopy. By the time your tree starts to show these signs, it is already stressed and more likely to succumb to insects or disease. Keeping your trees well-watered is the best way to foster their health.
If you have additional questions contact the tree board through the public works department at 719-539-6257.
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