As a homeowner, planting trees is one easy way to help lower your heating and cooling bill over time. However, simply planting trees on your property is not enough. You will need to take steps to ensure that they are getting watered properly as well. This is where a watering plan can come in handy.
Water is the life-giving source that all living things need to survive and thrive. Not only does water keep trees hydrated, it also carries nutrients that the tree needs in order to continue to grow and stay healthy. Water is one of the key components in supporting photosynthesis within the tree. Improper watering can cause a host of problems for any tree or plant.
Tree watering needs
Many times a new tree owner will not take the watering needs of the tree into consideration and the tree will go long periods without water. Lack of water can stunt the growth of the tree and if not corrected can actually slowly kill the tree. Alternately, some may actually over water trees which can actually be just as bad for them. Learning the right amount of water to give isn’t hard, it just takes a few minutes to figure out.
To make sure that you are watering your tree the right way you need to take some information into account. Are you watering a small tree or a large tree? This will matter because it will determine the amount of water that will be needed to water the tree. You will need to take a rough measurement of the tree to start with. When you plant new trees, it is important to water them until they have time to reestablish their roots. You will need to water them approximately 2 gallons of water per caliper inch of measurement of the tree.
Soil types
Also, the tree soil type is important. If the soil is tightly compact, like clay, the tree may require watering less frequently because the soil will hold onto the moisture for longer. On the other hand, if the soil you are planting trees into is on the sandy side or has a much more coarse texture, you will need to water more frequently because the water is going to drain off fairly quickly. For new trees it is important to continue watering them regularly for at least one to three seasons until they get established.
Watering might seem like such a simple thing to do, how could it be difficult? Depending on your location, your municipality may have strict rules about watering plants and trees. In very warm weather areas there are usually watering schedules based on addresses. Once sections of the town might water on Monday and Wednesday, while the other half waters on Tuesday and Thursday. This is usually done as water conservation, and if not adhered to might results in a fine. It is also recommended that trees be watered either in the early morning hours before dawn, or in late afternoon after sunset.
Get the water into the ground
When applying the water, you need to be sure that they water is actually being absorbed into the soil. In some conditions the water will simply run off of the dirt and the tree won’t benefit from the watering. You need to take this into consideration and if this is the case you need to rectify the situation before you continue watering. You can apply some additional soil or a good quality mulch to the ground around the tree in an effort to get the water to stay put. The ground should be watered until at least the top foot of ground gets moist in order to make the biggest impact.
When trees are watered in the proper way, they can thrive in any new environment and eventually grow tall enough to create wonderfully shady places to retreat. Properly watered trees can usually grow much healthier and resist many more ailments than weaker trees. When you take the time to learn how to care for your trees you are learning to care for your investments.
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