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Guides: Watering

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If watered thoroughly at the time of planting, nursery stock will not need additional water for several days. “Water need” will depend on many factors. Please read the list of frequently asked questions to help you with your watering needs. If we did not answer you question please do not hesitate to contact us.

How often should I water my tree?

Unfortunately, there is no way to provide you with a specific watering schedule for your tree. Every tree’s watering schedule will vary. Its location and type of species will make a difference too. In addition, wind, temperature, the sun’s exposure, and water drainage also play a big part. It is hard to be specific, but in general, the average, newly planted trees will require being watered every other day for one hour (or 5 gallons) on a slow drip, for the first two weeks. This will help with the shock of transplantation and its being pulled off of a daily watering system. After two weeks have lapsed, you can cut back to twice a week, watering for one hour (or about 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter) on a slow drip. Shrubs need a slightly scaled down version of this guide. A newly planted shrub can die in a matter of hours in the hot sun if it does not have proper watering. These watering schedules typically work for spring, summer, and fall. However, as the summer sun beats down and temperature rise, you may have to increase your watering…especially if you start to see yellow or “crispy” leaves. Because there is much involved in watering a newly planted tree, we’ve listed a few things to keep in mind as you begin to establish this tree in its new home: Yours.  

    • You will not always have to hand water your tree or turn on its drip irrigation system. However, keep in mind that the first two years of your tree’s “new life” in your yard will need to be monitored. After two years, and if the tree received proper care, the tree should have enough roots developed to pull the water it needs from the ground and/or from your sprinkler system’s runoff. Now keep in mind that additional watering is encouraged during the hot and dry period’s throughout your plants life. For an established plant watering once a month should be a good place to start.
    • Some trees/shrubs will require more water than others and still others will require significantly less than the recommended amounts above. This will all depend of the variety of tree chosen.
    • When determining a watering schedule, start by looking at your soil. When the tree was planted, was the soil moist or dry? Determine the reason for the moisture or lack there of. If your soil is naturally moist, or your water table is high, you may not have to water your tree as often as your neighbor might. However, the reverse may apply as well.
    • It’s important to note that in Colorado, while we do get some heavy downpours and some wet snows, we do not get enough of either element to correctly water your newly planted tree. Just because it rained the week before does not mean you should skip your watering schedule for the current week. (Ask yourself if you need a drink after just walking out your back door. The same conditions that fatigue us as humans also affect the plants. Remember this when you see your plant just sitting outside day and night without anything to drink.)
    • Water is the key ingredient to a healthy and happy tree. You can use all the root stimulators, fertilizers, and specials composts you can buy, but they can never replace the value of water.
    • What does all this mean? Keep your tree moist. The soil around the tree and the soil located about 18” beneath the root-ball should have the consistency of play-dough. You should be able to ball the soil into your hand without dust being left behind or water squishing out. You do not want dry dirt around your tree, nor do you want mud. It’s the happy medium between the two that should be your goal. On the flip side, it is important to remember that your tree cannot possibly stay this “moist” forever. Life happens. The soil beneath your tree may dry a bit. This will not kill your tree if it happens occasionally. Ironically, while trees need adequate water to grow, they also need oxygen in order to promote root growth. The roots of your tree will actually begin to spread during these “drier” times, which is why it is impossibly for your tree to stay moist incessantly—the roots are using the water!
    • THUS:
      • Keep the tree’s root-ball moist
      • Soil should retain a play-dough consistency
      • Your tree should look the same or better than it did when you purchased it.
      • Yellow or crispy leaves in the middle of summer are usually a result of stress from lack of water.
      • Remember that these trees are as much alive as you are.

What is the most effective way to water my tree?

There are many ways to water a tree; however we tend to promote two ways that produce the best results.

· For most situations we tend to water simply—with a hose. Or, you can attach a bubbler to the hose and just lay it at the base of the tree near the trunk.

· If you have the means for a drip irrigation system, by all means use it. Just remember that you still need to pay attention to the tree and make sure that the system is working adequately for the tree. We have seen a lot of trees suffer or die simply because their emitter was clogged.

We also ask you to consider the rate at which you water your new plants. Slower is always better.

Example:  If you take a bucket of water, fill it up, and then dump it out onto the ground, the water will soak in minimally and give you a pretty wide wet spot.  Now, if you take that same bucket of water, fill it up, and then rig it to slowly drip out over several hours, the water will soak in deeply and the wet spot won’t be quite as wide.  If you were to dig down in both instances, you would find that the wet spot from the first bucket would only be wet a couple of inches down in the ground.  The second bucket, which dripped the same amount of water but over a long period of time, would be soaked 4-5 times deeper than the first bucket. 

Quite often I am asked if a deep root watering wand should be used when watering. I usually reply that the wand is meant for plants with partially and fully established root systems. This is because most of the time the wand is used incorrectly and it either does not help or it usually hurts the plant. The problem with the wand is usually the depth and the pressure. The wand is placed too deep and the pressure is too high. This digs holes in the loosened soil under your plants causing them to sink. Also by applying the water below the roots the water misses most of the plants "small" root system and basically wastes that water. This can be very inefficient.

I have a sprinkler in my yard. Will that work to water my tree?

Unfortunately, the answer is NO. It can definitely help keep the tree cool in the summer and help add to the water is receives from you during its scheduled watering, but it cannot and must not replace the water you would have given it had the sprinkler system not been there.  If you are to rely on the sprinkler system as the sole provider of water for your trees, you must know that you are promoting surface roots. A shallow rooted tree is a bad tree. Deep water your tree, by allowing the water to drip down the root-ball slowly. Do not rely on your lawn sprinklers to water your trees—trees need hours of slow drip to reach the roots.

My hose is frozen in the winter. Do I have to winter water my tree?

The answer is YES, you must winter water all newly planted trees…at least for its first winter season and preferably for its first three. If your hose tends to freeze, we recommend you bring your hose into the garage or just coil it up outside after each use during the winter. With that said, your watering schedule will be greatly reduced from its summer and fall months. We recommend as a general rule that you water your tree approximately twice a month, if possible, on a slow drip for one hour. Your winter watering, which begins as soon as the tree loses its leaves, helps prepare the tree for the long winter and for prepare for “harden off.” Harding off is when the tree begins going dormant in the winter to prepare for spring. Our weather during the winter is mild for the most part and thus, watering is needed. On the days when there are freezes, do not attempt to water your tree. Resume your watering schedule once the weather is not at freezing temperatures.

SPRING/SUMMER TREE WATERING SCHEDULE

(APRIL-SEPTEMBER) a starting point is 10 gallons per inch of trunk for trees and 1 to 2 gallons per shrub. At times this should be done daily with newly planted stock. See the mulch heading below for more information that can help you save water.

FALL/WINTER TREE WATERING SCHEDULE

(OCTOBER-MARCH)a starting point is to water at least once or twice a month with 15 to 25 gallons per tree and 1 to 3 gallons per shrub. Be sure to water only when soil and trees are cool but not frozen. Winter droughts are as difficult on trees as summer droughts. At times during the winter, particularly for evergreens, drying out can be a real problem. Winter drought occurs when a tree loses more water than it can absorb from frozen ground and is especially acute during the early spring when the ground remains frozen while the spring sun begins warming the rest of the tree. Windy conditions can also worsen the problem.

Guides: Fertilization

We recommend that you wait until the second growing season to fertilize new nursery stock. Root stimulators or plant starter solutions are beneficial to use at that time.

Guides: Trunk Protection

Trunks of young trees are susceptible to sun scald during the winter months. This is caused by freezing and thawing of the cells on the south and west sides of the trunk. To help prevent this problem, wrap the trunk in late fall with a commercial tree wrap. This is especially advised for trees that have thinner bark, such as Honeylocust, Mountain Ash, and Maples. On average you will use 10' of tree wrap on a 2" tree. Traditionally a tree will be wrapped from November - April. The tree wrap is best secured with electrical tape every 2 feet.

Guides: Mulch/Wood Chips

The root system of a tree can become quite stressed and disturbed by sudden changes in temperature and/or drought conditions. Wood Chips or Mulch is an effective way to counter Colorado's demanding and unpredictable weather. The mulch helps insulate the trees root system and helps control its moisture level. Think of mulch as a buffer between the elements and the trees vitals. Maintain a two or three inch deep layer. It is advised to keep the mulch around the tree for the life of the tree. Over time the mulch will need to be replaced. Try not to build up the mulch too high as this can lead to fungus and other issues later on.

If you have any further questions please contact us