What your trees need now!

Water!

First and foremost any newly planted or struggling trees probably need water. That water should be delivered weekly and in a large volume, rather than daily in a light sprinkle. Deep watering helps trees develop deep drought resistant roots and keeps them out of your lawn. Water trees with at least 10 gallons per inch of tree diameter. The easiest way is to purchase a watering bag from a local nursery. These hold between 15 and 20 gallons.

Mulch!

This is a great time of year to spread mulch, don’t wait until it’s hot and dusty. Get out there now and add a few inches in a circle that extends out to the drip-line of your tree. Mulch should not touch the trunk or surface roots as this can lead to decay. Keep mulch 3-4” deep starting 6” from the tree. Mulch helps reduce weeds, moderates soil temperature, helps keep soil moist and reduces compaction.

Keep an eye out for pests

Early detection can make control of insects and disease much easier. Often people wait until a tree is in crisis mode before calling an arborist. If you see something odd or unusual, such as scorching of leaves, yellowing or drooping of foliage, insect damage, or excessive dead limbs call a professional, early detection can save a tree's life and save you money and frustration.

Homemade watering bucket

If you don’t want to shell out for a watering bag or have a lot of trees to water try making your own watering bucket. Just take a 5-gallon or larger bucket and drill a bunch of 1/8” holes in the bottom. Then just fill the bucket as many times as it takes to provide the amount of water in the formula below.

Watering formula

Tree diameter (inches) × 10 = number of gallons per week.