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Keeping Trees Alive During The Drought

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#1 bordercolliefan

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 11:43 AM

I thought I was doing pretty well conserving water... my most recent bill showed almost 30% less than the same month last year!

HOWEVER, a few days ago my landscaper accosted me to warn that our 3 maple trees (about 25 years old and BIG) were severely stressed and dropping their leaves due to lack of water. I ran the hose on each of them for about 20 minutes... then did the same for the dozen or so other trees in the backyard.

I'm wondering what others are doing to try to keep their trees alive. Are there any tips for how much or how often to water trees... or techniques for making the watering as efficient as possible?

#2 4thgenFolsomite

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 01:11 PM

I thought I was doing pretty well conserving water... my most recent bill showed almost 30% less than the same month last year!

HOWEVER, a few days ago my landscaper accosted me to warn that our 3 maple trees (about 25 years old and BIG) were severely stressed and dropping their leaves due to lack of water. I ran the hose on each of them for about 20 minutes... then did the same for the dozen or so other trees in the backyard.

I'm wondering what others are doing to try to keep their trees alive. Are there any tips for how much or how often to water trees... or techniques for making the watering as efficient as possible?

 

you need to deep water to save your trees.  do it at night, so the roots can take it up.  they don't do as much during the heat of the day.  I  mean like 20 minutes is not long enough.  you need to dig a six or eight inch hole into the ground to see if its dry down there.  you need to get water deep down in the ground.  either a soaker hose or a sprinkler on low for hours at night.  if you do it once, it should last you for a month.  maple trees need water, all trees do.  try saving 10 percent and use less in your house.


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#3 ducky

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 02:35 PM

Your trees are mature so you will need to water in the drip line area of the tree.  Soaker hose would be easiest.  The only thing about soaker hoses is it's hard to know how many gallons you are using.  Another idea would be to take 5-gallon buckets and either drill four small holes in the bottom and place them in the drip line of the tree (You could use one or two buckets and rotate them around), or there are also products out there like Tree I.V. that sell buckets with a spike to attach to the bottom.  Granted, it's not pretty having buckets on the lawn,  I've also had good luck with those tree watering spikes they sell at the local hardware stores, but I'd avoid digging too much around your trees right now because they're already stressed.

 

Almost forgot.  I read somewhere that a general rule of thumb is 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter (knee height) each watering - three times a month during the dry months.



#4 bordercolliefan

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 03:32 PM

Wow, this is good info. I really didn't know any of this... I guess I thought trees were much hardier.

What is the "drip line area of the tree"?

#5 ducky

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 03:35 PM

Wow, this is good info. I really didn't know any of this... I guess I thought trees were much hardier.

What is the "drip line area of the tree"?

It's the area under the tree canopy, from the trunk to the outer edge of the branches.  You shouldn't water right up by the trunk.



#6 bordercolliefan

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 03:58 PM

This link has some good info and repeats what you all are saying:

http://www.colostate...rees/caring.htm

I will resolve to be a better steward of our trees...

#7 ducky

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 04:02 PM

This link has some good info and repeats what you all are saying:

http://www.colostate...rees/caring.htm

I will resolve to be a better steward of our trees...

 

I'm glad you caught they were stressed.  I don't mind letting my lawn stress and I don't mind doing without the annuals I usually plant, but I can't afford to replace my trees and shrubs.



#8 4thgenFolsomite

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 04:15 PM

the drip line is where rain drips off the tree, so many trees (especially citrus) put shallow roots out in that area to gather the rain.  however, some of that depends on the tree.  even in a rain, some gets under the tree.  I like to use a small circular sprinkler with a stake in the center that I can stick near the trunk.  I can adjust the flow to make sure it makes a good ring under the tree and most it goes to the outer rim.  Some people use soaker hoses in a circle under the tree, which is fine, but if I need to deliver a good soak to numerous trees, I like my sprinkler.  my lawn?  its toast.  I think the humidity today is like 1 percent.  that means that everything with a leaf is losing water very quickly to the air.  transpiration. 


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#9 supermom

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Posted 10 July 2014 - 06:30 AM

hmm, I just commented a few days ago that it looks like fall happened earlier this year. if you should water the tree near it, how would you use the spike method?



#10 ducky

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Posted 10 July 2014 - 06:54 AM

If your question is where to place the spike, I'd say as close to the drip line of the tree as possible.  I have trees that are either in borders or their drip line is within a border surrounding it so that's where I put the spike.  The drippers come in different gph.  I just put the larger drippers on the trees.  In the situation of a tree near a sidewalk or driveway, I just get as close as practicable or  possible to the drip line.

 

Another thing I did is froze some of the rainwater I collected this spring in liter or plastic bottles.  I've been taking those out and poking holes in their sides and then I put them in my potted lemon tree so they slowly drip out.

 

hmm, I just commented a few days ago that it looks like fall happened earlier this year. if you should water the tree near it, how would you use the spike method?



#11 supermom

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Posted 10 July 2014 - 06:57 AM

So the drip line area is the area under the canopy of the tree? If you have an oak tree with a 25 foot canopy, how would you decide how much water it needs daily?



#12 ducky

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Posted 10 July 2014 - 07:02 AM

So the drip line area is the area under the canopy of the tree? If you have an oak tree with a 25 foot canopy, how would you decide how much water it needs daily?

 

I've never taken care of an oak so I'll leave that for someone else. 



#13 4thgenFolsomite

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Posted 10 July 2014 - 07:39 AM

native oaks do not need water in summer.  they have evolved over thousands of years to our seasonal droughts.  they like the rain in winter and they do not like getting water in summer.  that is one reason when people plant lawns around the base of oaks they end up dead.  you will notice in most landscapes around folsom where they have tried to incorporate oaks, you will see a big dry bark area under the perimeter of the canopy, this leaves the around under the tree dry.  do that.


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#14 supermom

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Posted 10 July 2014 - 08:14 AM

yeah I just read that. However I did also read that due to the lack of rains in the winter, some oaks may be suffering right now. It stated a soak under the mulch maye be a good idea but to not get the tree bark wet. it suggested the outer drip line should be soaked after an extended drought period. But should not be more than just a supplemental watering. Talk about vague







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