Newly planted trees need careful watering attention this time of year. The challenge is that the trees roots have been in a nursery container with rich organic peat and potting soil or in a clay root-ball receiving carefully monitored watering. Now that same tree has been planted in your yard where it is surrounded by native soil. The area between the native soil and what it has been grown in is very different. It is often here in this interface of two types of soil where the challenge lies. Say the tree is in a clay root-but planted in soft well-draining soil. Without careful monitoring, water could be flowing off the dense clay root-ball and into the soft native soil. The more this happens the harder the clay root-ball becomes. While Inside all the fine hair roots are drying out and dying yet above ground all the recommended per gallons of water are being applied leaving everyone to wonder what is going wrong. Adversely, if a potted tree in a soft peat planting mixture is planted in hard compacted soil, water will flood its plating hole and drowned it. While proper planting does help, close monitoring is paramount. This means NOT counting on a sprinkler or drip system until the tree has been established for a year or two. It DOES however require careful inspection of the root-ball and the soil around it for the proper amount of moisture. Unfortunately, this may mean pulling back the mulch it should have as a top dressing and cutting the landscape material to inspect this area. Often it will require adjusting the drip emitters as they may have moved. There should be a minimum of two and be placed away from the trunk a few inches but still on top of the root-ball to keep it hydrated. Hand watering with a hose may be needed occasionally to keep up with rising temperatures. Remember, we are trying to get new roots established outside the root-ball and into the native soil no matter what it is. This time of establishment is often a delicate balance of too much or too little and if not closely monitored means a dead tree. More next week on specific amounts and established tree watering. As always for more questions, quotes and consultations, give us a call today and thank you in advance for your patience with our Summer backlog.
