Watering deeply once every month may work for some trees, but it might not be frequent enough for other landscape plants. Consequently, a compromise needs to be reached when recommendations are made for watering trees in landscapes.
How much water to apply? Rules of thumb. Homeowners often use rules of thumb or time-honored gardening recommendations when irrigating landscapes. “Water a tree with 2 inches of water per week” is a commonly heard rule of thumb. This suggestion is useful, but only if you add the words “over the entire tree’s root system.”
It is also important to note that during the growing season, the tree’s need for water is determined by the weather, with the highest amount of water (2 inches per irrigation) being needed during the heat of summer. Less than an inch of water will be needed during cool or wet conditions such as early spring or late fall. Suggested minimum watering requirements for specific trees appear in the table on pages 6 and 7.
Seasonal and weather-related effects on watering. The amount of water applied should fluctuate with time of year and weather conditions. All too frequently, however, irrigation settings are timed to apply small amounts of water several times per week. This shallow watering may keep turf alive, but longer periods of watering with larger amounts of water are usually necessary for water to penetrate deeper into the soil profile to reach tree roots. The goal for tree watering is to irrigate to a depth of 12 to 15 inches with however much water it takes. Deep watering helps roots develop to a proper depth to promote better drought tolerance in the future.
If you’re looking to do all of your own tree thinning, we will be your biggest cheerleaders. If you ever need advice, a quick tip, or just have a quick question, please call us anyways. We will be happy to help and assist in any way we can. If there is ever a job that gets to be a little too big, please give us a chance to earn your business. We are the best tree thinning service in Kennewick.