There
are no hard
and fast rules for how and
when to water a new tree. Your tree is unique and the environment
in which it is planted is unique. We will, however,
provide you with a guideline to follow. If you think
you need to make changes to the recommended watering
schedule, or your tree's health appears to be declining,
please call us and speak to someone on our staff.
At
the time of your tree's installation, Dallas Tree Surgeons
staff will water in your new tree, soak the root ball,
and also soak the hole to take out all air pockets and
acclimate the tree to the new soil. The day after planting
you will need to water the tree again by placing a hose
at the base of the tree and allowing the water to trickle
slowly for 20 minutes. Unfortunately, your lawn's sprinkler
system is not sufficient to water as deeply as your
new tree needs to be watered. Every time you water,
use the trickle hose method described for 20 minutes.
Watering Schedule Guidelines
Balled
& Burlapped Trees
40 degrees and below - Water only before a hard freeze
40-65 degrees - Water every 18-22 days
65-85 degrees - Water every 14-17 days
85-100+ degrees - Water every 11-14 days
Container
Grown Trees
40 degrees and below - Water every 4 weeks
40-65 degrees - Water every 11-14 days
65-85 degrees - Water every 6-10 days
85-100+ degrees - Water every 3-5 days
The
above guidelines should be followed for 12 months assuming
normal rainfall (drought conditions may require changes
to this watering schedule.) In the second year, you
can add approximately 4 -7 days to the time frames listed.
Most trees that have been over-watered tend to fade
in color slowly, from green to pale green to tan or
brown throughout the tree, usually starting in the middle
or bottom of the tree. Conversely, trees that have been
allowed to become too dry (even once for a short period
of time) tend to start fading slightly in color and
developing crisp brown edges on the leaves. Should you
make a watering mistake, make it to the dry side. A
tree can recover from being slightly under-watered easier
than it can from being over-watered.
Root Stimulators & Fertilizers
