Watering
Newly planted trees need extra water during their first two hot, dry summers. Young trees can also benefit from being watered through their fifth summer, as long as there is not a drought. In times of drought, conserve water by only watering trees planted no more than two years ago.
What about the rest of the year? In the fall and spring when the deciduous trees have leaves and if the local news is reporting unusually hot and dry weather, consider watering your newly planted trees once every two weeks during that time.
Watering Newly Planted Trees, The First 4 Weeks
Watering helps newly planted trees establish healthy root systems and start growing.
Try your best to provide 25 gallons of water each time, as follows:
Watering a newly planted tree is important!
- Weeks 1 and 2 – water 2 times each week
- Weeks 3 and 4 – water 1 time each week
- Skip a watering if the ground is frozen.
- Provide 25 gallons at each watering even if you cannot water as frequently as above.
Watering in the Summer, The First 2 Years
- Provide 25 gallons of water every 2 weeks from April to September.
- Skip a watering when we receive significant rainfall.
- Water a second time each week during extreme heat and drought.
Check out the details below for different methods to provide water efficiently. Each of these methods are effective so choose the one that’s most convenient for you.
Soaker Hose
A soaker hose has tons of tiny pores that let water slowly seep out along the length of the hose.
This saturates the soil around the tree by mimicking a gentle day-long rain.
It’s convenient because you can leave a soaker hose in place during the summer.
You can also cover the soaker hose with mulch to hide the hose and help disperse and conserve water.
How to Use a Soaker Hose
Before you can use the soaker hose, you have to determine how long it will take to release 25 gallons of water.
Soaker Hose
Using a watch and a bucket, determine how long it takes to fill the bucket with the hose as many times as needed for 25 gallons.
For example, if you have a 5-gallon bucket, how long does it take the soaker hose to fill the bucket 5 times?
Once you know how long it takes, then water each newly planted tree, placing the soaker hose within the ring of mulch, for the time needed for 25 gallons.
Timers to automatically turn your outdoor faucet off are available on-line or at lawn and garden shops.
Check the hose regularly to make sure the water drips out gradually along most of the length of the hose.
Water should not flow continuously from the hose; if it does, reduce the water pressure by turning back the faucet.
Garden Hose
Place the end of the hose in the mulch ring and leave the water dripping
How to Use a Garden Hose
Before you can use the garden hose, you have to determine how long it will take to release 25 gallons of water.
Frist, pick one of the methods below, then, using a watch and a bucket, determine how long it takes to fill the bucket with the hose as many times as needed for 25 gallons.
For example, if you have a 5-gallon bucket, how long does it take the garden hose to fill the bucket 5 times?
Once you know how long it takes, then water each newly planted tree for the time needed for 25 gallons.
Timers to automatically turn your outdoor faucet off are available on-line or at lawn and garden shops.
There are at least two ways to water using a garden hose:
Water with a slow drip from your garden hose
- Water with a slow drip from your garden hose.
Turn on the water, then turn the pressure down (nearly to off) so that the water slowly drips out – literally one drop at a time.
This mimics a slow gentle rain.
- Water from your garden hose without the nozzle.
Water from your garden hose without the nozzle
This mimics a summer rain storm.
Remove the nozzle from the end of your hose and water each new planted tree within the ring of mulch, for the time needed for 25 gallons.
This generally does not work on hillsides because the water runs down the hill too quickly.
Do not water with a spray nozzle or sprinkler from your hose – this gets water to the surface but very little gets below the grass to the tree roots.
Bucket Soaker
How to Make a Bucket Soaker
Bucket soaker
Gather clean, empty buckets or jugs.
Pierce the bottom of each with 5 to 10 tiny holes to allow water to drip out gradually.
For newly planted trees, place the full buckets in the mulch ring. For older trees, place the full buckets about 4 feet from the trunk
Check to make sure the buckets empty in several hours.
Remember to refill your containers as many times as necessary to give your young trees 25 gallons of water.
We also recommend placing rocks or a brick in the bottom of the buckets to keep them from blowing away or falling over.