Most
of us don't think about watering our trees right now. It's November, most of
the leaves have dropped and the trees look as if they've gone dormant, but the
fact is there's still a lot of activity going on underground. Tree roots
continue to grow throughout the late fall and winter and because of this, they
need moisture to survive. Usually we've had some natural moisture by this time
of the year, but it continues to be dry so it's important to water your trees
now and throughout the fall and winter months, especially if the weather
remains dry and windy. Trees should be watered slowly. Slow watering helps
ensure the water will penetrate the ground and not run off. A good rule of
thumb to remember is your tree needs about 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk
diameter.
Measure the tree trunk's diameter about knee high. In this case, the
trunk diameter is 3". Based on 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk
diameter, this tree needs 30 gallons of water, each time you water. There are
several methods you can use to water your trees. Assuming your sprinkler system
is shut off by now, you can use a hand sprinkler, a simple lawn sprinkler, a
soil needle or even a 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in the bottom.
Regardless of how you water, the best place to water is around the drip line of
the tree.
The drip line is the point on
the ground where water will drip off the widest-reaching branches.
Lawn
sprinklers are available in different patterns including circular, square and
rectangle. Pick the sprinkler with the pattern that best suits the area you're
watering. Place the sprinkler under the drip line of the tree and let it run
for 4 - 5 minutes, then move it, following the drip line of the tree.
4 to 5
minutes is the average time it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket, at low water
pressure. You can use this as a gauge to figure out how long you need to let
the sprinkler run before you move it. If you need to deliver 30 gallons of
water to the tree, move the sprinkler 6 times, letting it run in place for 4 to 5
minutes each time.
If you choose, you can use a soil needle instead of a
sprinkler. Work the needle about 8" into the soil, turn on the water on
low pressure and let it run. After 4-5 minutes, move the needle about a foot,
then push it into the ground. Repeat this
until you've worked around the drip line.
Another technique is to drill ¼"
holes in a 5 gallon bucket, set the bucket on the drip line and fill with
water. The water will slowly seep out of the bucket and into the ground. If you
set 2 or 3 buckets around the dripline, watering will go quickly and
effectively. It is especially important
to water trees that are root-limited because they were planted between the
sidewalk and the street.
If you can't get to the drip line because of sidewalks or landscape restrictions, you can hand water the area under the tree. Watering during the fall and winter will make a big
difference in the long-term health of your trees.
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