I planted 4 new fruit trees this spring. My biggest concern is watering! I know that if I give it to much water, I can drown it. But if I give it too little water…well that’s not good either! So how much water do trees really need?
First how should we water trees:
-Trees should be watered at their drip line not the base of the tree. Oops! Mistake number 1!
-Mulch should be placed around the base of the tree but not touching the trunk to help prevent loss of water through evaporation. Done that!
-Landscape or Decorative things like rocks, artificial turf and weed fabric will trap heat in the soil and are not beneficial for the tree, they also increase run off…. So you are paying to water something other than your trees! I don’t have any of that!
The amount of water your tree will need depends on many factors. How much rain there has been, if there is mulch at the base of the tree, how big the tree is etc.
My friend sent me a great chart from Sacramento Tree Foundation. It says to drill a 1/8” hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon pale and place it near the root ball.
Year 1: Fill the pail once 2-3 time per week
Year 2: Fill the pail twice 1 time per week
Year 3: Fill the pail three times every other week
Another handy trick Sacramento recommends is inserting a screwdriver into the soil about 6 inches deep near the drip line. If the soil is wet or sticky, it’s not time to water. If the soil is dry, hard, and crumbly, it is time to water!
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