Tips for Watering New Trees
When planting a new tree, proper young tree watering is vital to its survival. As a starting point, new trees should be watered with 5 gallons of water every 3 to 4 days. The first watering should occur immediately after planting. A good way to know how much water amounts to 5 gallons is to monitor the amount of time it takes to fill a basin with 5 gallons of water.
If you check the soil a few inches beneath the root ball and it is still very dry, then more water should be used. If you decide to add more water, the soil should be moist, and you will know if you’d used too much if the soil becomes soggy. If this occurs, then wait 1 to 2 days before checking the soil again. The amount of water can also be increased if the leaves of the tree appear to be wilted.
Before starting freshly planted tree watering, a water basin should be created around the tree. This is a raised circle of dirt around the tree trunk, and watering should take place within this circle. Evening or early morning watering is best, and it is vital that deep watering is applied. Sprinkler systems will not be enough to saturate the root ball of the tree. Also, in order to promote optimum soil moisture, adding mulch or wood chips to the water basin is a good practice.