The Best Watering Techniques for Your Trees
Where to Water Your Trees As you look at a tree you see the trunk with a canopy of leaves and branches.
Where the rain would run off the canopy and fall to the ground is called the "drip-line", and this is the area of the feeder roots.
Feeder roots gather and disperse water and nutrients to the large radius of roots that create the root system.
These are the areas you want to concentrate on when irrigating.
Roots are often found in the upper 18 to 24 inches of the soil and, depending on the specific species, exude out several feet around the canopy.
When watering your trees, you want the process to seem as natural to the tree as possible.
The more you can mimic nature, the more you can ensure a proper reaction from the tree.
Never water an established tree at the trunk.
It isn't built to receive water here, so this practice can actually increases the risk of disease and decay.
Newly planted trees, like new babies, require a different approach and type of care than older, more mature trees.
The canopy and root system are smaller, so for the first two years the watering area around the tree is closer to the trunk.
When to Water Your Trees While considering when to water your trees, this time it's important to offset nature.
Throughout the winter months, the environment can be treacherous, but moisture below the surface is usually adequate.
Most tree roots have absorbed and expended most moisture from the ground in mid to late summer.
This is the time when supplemental irrigation may be required.
Additional watering may also be required in areas that suffer from droughts and extremely high temperatures or from poor soil.
Because the soil is a determinate in how efficiently the roots have access to the water, pay attention to the type of soil that surrounds the tree.
When necessary, you can apply mulch around the tree to help it retain moisture, but be sure to avoid placing mulch within a 6" radius around the trunk, which needs to remain dry.
How to Water Your Trees There are multiple ways to make sure the water you are applying actually gets to the roots.
You can use drip irrigation, sprinklers, or simply laying a running hose on the ground; just be sure to avoid the trunk and not to over-water.
Since water displaces air in the soil, constantly saturating the soil can cause the roots to decay and die.
With older trees, water deeply rather than repeatedly to ensure time for the roots to breath.
While you are watering your trees, this is a good opportunity to check on their overall health.
If you notice any damage or decay, call out a professional tree removal specialist to assess the problem and remove trees or branches if necessary.
Where the rain would run off the canopy and fall to the ground is called the "drip-line", and this is the area of the feeder roots.
Feeder roots gather and disperse water and nutrients to the large radius of roots that create the root system.
These are the areas you want to concentrate on when irrigating.
Roots are often found in the upper 18 to 24 inches of the soil and, depending on the specific species, exude out several feet around the canopy.
When watering your trees, you want the process to seem as natural to the tree as possible.
The more you can mimic nature, the more you can ensure a proper reaction from the tree.
Never water an established tree at the trunk.
It isn't built to receive water here, so this practice can actually increases the risk of disease and decay.
Newly planted trees, like new babies, require a different approach and type of care than older, more mature trees.
The canopy and root system are smaller, so for the first two years the watering area around the tree is closer to the trunk.
When to Water Your Trees While considering when to water your trees, this time it's important to offset nature.
Throughout the winter months, the environment can be treacherous, but moisture below the surface is usually adequate.
Most tree roots have absorbed and expended most moisture from the ground in mid to late summer.
This is the time when supplemental irrigation may be required.
Additional watering may also be required in areas that suffer from droughts and extremely high temperatures or from poor soil.
Because the soil is a determinate in how efficiently the roots have access to the water, pay attention to the type of soil that surrounds the tree.
When necessary, you can apply mulch around the tree to help it retain moisture, but be sure to avoid placing mulch within a 6" radius around the trunk, which needs to remain dry.
How to Water Your Trees There are multiple ways to make sure the water you are applying actually gets to the roots.
You can use drip irrigation, sprinklers, or simply laying a running hose on the ground; just be sure to avoid the trunk and not to over-water.
Since water displaces air in the soil, constantly saturating the soil can cause the roots to decay and die.
With older trees, water deeply rather than repeatedly to ensure time for the roots to breath.
While you are watering your trees, this is a good opportunity to check on their overall health.
If you notice any damage or decay, call out a professional tree removal specialist to assess the problem and remove trees or branches if necessary.
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