Watering

During periods of dry weather it is important to keep a close eye on your trees and watch for signs of drought stress. Leaves may appear wilted, yellowed or curled, or they may show browning around the margin or between the veins.

Trees that have been transplanted within the past 2 years, as well as any established trees showing signs of moisture related stress, should be given supplemental irrigation equal to approximately 5-10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter. During dry summer months water the tree 2-3 times per week. Ideally the soil should be moist, but not saturated, to a depth of several inches as this is the zone where most of a tree's feeder roots are located.

It is important to apply the water slowly so that it has time to penetrate down into the soil rather than run along the surface. Two devices that do this well are soaker hoses and slow-release irrigation bags.

Soaker hoses are composed of a porous material that allows water to seep through the walls of the hose and slowly wet the soil beneath it. Covering the hose with mulch helps minimize water loss to evaporation and also hides the hose creating a more aesthetically pleasing look.

Slow-release irrigation bags are placed around the trunk of the tree and filled with water. Small holes in the base of the bags allow the water to trickle out over the course of several hours to several days.

Avoid sprinklers that wet the tree foliage as this can encourage disease and even cause leaves to scorch during very hot weather.