During current drought conditions, it is critical that you water your established, mature trees. Of course, we want to make sure we take care of plants and lawns too, but be sure your trees are getting enough water. Here’s how.
Trees, especially mature shade trees, provide huge benefits for our environment and they’re difficult and expensive to replace. How could you even put a price tag on a 30-year-old mature Oak tree?
With summer temps and a lack of depth moisture in the ground due to drought conditions, mature trees need a slow, deep watering every 2 to 4 weeks. If your trees are showing signs of stress, (looking dull, dropping leaves), water them deeply once a week to rehydrate. You can accomplish proper, deep watering by placing a sprinkler between the trunk of the tree and the drip line (edge of the tree canopy) and running it for 45 mins. Then, move the sprinkler 1/3 of the way around the tree and repeat until you’ve watered all the way around. Check your sprinkler placement to be sure you’re not watering the street, the sidewalk, etc. Here’s a simple top-view illustration.
It’s critical to water trees sufficiently and create depth moisture now in case the drought is prolonged. The more stressed trees get, the more difficult it is to bring them back to good health.
–DeAnna
Dolfino Wolf says
In 45 years living in Texas I’ve NEVER experienced this : o
The ground is dry no doubt but my neighbors fence ; you can SEE down deep in the ground AND, putting your Fingers in the crack by the fence post you can FEEL AIR MOVING : o
Very freaky….
Jeannie says
I have this going on in my backyard right now. It is freaky.
DeAnna says
CLay soil does separate when extremely dry. A good soaking rain should expand it back again
Ana says
Thank you for all info. I had a beautiful Bottle brush tree, It froze 2 yrs ago with freeze. I did not dug it out I did cut it short, its grown not about 5 ft. all bushy. will it ever bloom again. Do i leave it bushy.
thank you
Ana
james says
Bottlebrush can be trimmed to just one or three trunks, but I prefer mine to have more trunks than that. So if you just let it grow I think that’s good.