Watering Your Trees the Right Way

Yep, you read the title of this blog post right—there’s a right way to water your trees. More importantly, there are plenty of wrong ways to water your trees, too, and we’re here to help you stop that ASAP.

We’re not trying to be pretentious here (although, we do have over two decades of experience in the landscaping business, but) we’re just trying to share some very important information.

If you’ve ever wondered why your trees aren’t growing at the rate they should, why they don’t look as healthy as you’d like, or why they’re barely hanging on, it’s possible it all traces back to how you’re watering your trees.

Any attention you’re giving your trees is good attention, so we’re never going to blame you for giving your trees the TLC they deserve. But, if you’re looking to water your trees more efficiently, provide them with the right type of watering style they need to thrive, and overall, ensure a beautiful and well-maintained landscape (trees included), then you’re going to want to read up right now on how to properly water your trees.

First Things First, Do Your Research

We promise this isn’t a cop-out answer—it’s just the truth. Every type of tree is different, so obviously, every type of tree is going to have different needs. Trees are a lot more like people than we think, you guys—a doctor wouldn’t prescribe the same treatment to two people dealing with different ailments, right? So, we can’t reasonably prescribe the same type of irrigation treatment for two different trees, either. Long story short, before you can even bust out the hose, you need to make sure you’ve got a solid grasp on what type of trees you’re dealing with on your landscape. Only then can you provide them with the proper care they need.

Know the Right Time to Water

While this will likely depend on the type of tree you’re working with (and, spoiler alert, all of these tips will vary based on the types of trees you’ve got on your landscape), the best times to water a tree is in the early morning or in the late afternoon—AKA, when the sun can’t soak up and evaporate all of the water you’ve given to the tree. When you water your tree when the sun is on its way up or down, you’re giving the tree a fighting chance to soak up as much water as possible before evaporation takes place.

That being said, there is no one-size-fits-all magic schedule for tree watering, especially when you’re dealing with newly established trees. One of the best ways to test for when it’s time to water is to get right in there with the soil to check. If you’re dealing with moist soil (never soggy), you’re in the clear. Dry soil? Well, your tree needs water ASAP.

Give Them Enough of the Good Stuff

While every tree will differ, there’s a general landscaping rule of thumb that states an established tree needs about 10 gallons of water for each inch of the tree’s diameter.

Go Deep or Go Home

Generally, when it comes to watering trees, we say the deeper the better. If you could only take one piece of advice from us for watering your trees, we’d say make sure you understand that slow and deep is the correct tree watering strategy. When you deep water your trees, you ensure the water is reaching the critical root zone, meaning your tree is getting adequate moisture and receiving the water it needs to grow.

Apply Water Correctly

AKA, make sure you’re using the right tools to get your trees the irrigation they’re thirsty for. Using tools like soaker hoses, sprinklers, buckets, and regular hoses can be solid choices for meeting your trees’ irrigation needs. We won’t lie, overhead sprinklers can be relatively inefficient, so we don’t necessarily suggest relying on your landscape’s irrigation system to do the job. Why? Because most often, these systems deliver shallow waterings, and trees, as we’ve already discussed need deeper soaks to really get the water down to the roots where it needs to be.

If you’re planning to use a soaker hose (a great choice, by the way), be sure you’re circling the hose around the base of the tree in a spiral so you can help the water get to the roots efficiently.

Consistency is Everything

What you don’t want to do when you water your tree is to allow the soil to dry out completely. Alternatively, you don’t want to water your tree when the soil is soggy, either. Either of these extremes will likely stress the tree out, and you won’t get optimal growth. Ensuring your tree’s soil is consistently moist is your best bet for a healthy tree!

At the end of the day, if you’re struggling with how to best water your tree or you’re not seeing the results you desire, it’s always best to reach out to a reputable professional in your area to get the insight you need on helping your trees thrive. At Landcrafters, we’re proud to offer our customers and clients with top-notch knowledge that spans two decades. Reach out to us if you have questions about your trees, irrigation, or how to best ensure your landscape is thriving. Give us a call at (727)-201-3947 or fill out our contact form on our website here. We can’t wait to help you bring those beautiful trees of yours to life!