With Debbie Rowland
Amy Ulmschneider
Master Gardener
In a recent article, we covered the record temperatures and drought. In West Texas, many trees are starting to show signs of under- or mis-watering. Leaves are yellowing, wilting, small leaves, and misshapen trees. In urban areas, many of our landscape trees are not suited to dry soils, so in extreme conditions, our trees require extra care. Trees increase the value of your home, so caring for them is important.
Before we get into the right way to water your trees, remember to consider the conditions and protect yourself from the sun when you are outdoors: Wear loose, light-colored clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Use sunscreen, protective sleeves, and a mask. Complete outdoor work early in the morning and drink plenty of water. Take breaks in shady, well-ventilated areas to cool down.
Now, back to trees. Some gardeners rely on lawn sprinkler systems to water their trees. The most important thing you can do for your trees right now is deep watering in the right places. Unlike plants like cacti, trees don't have the ability to store water. The water that leaves the tree goes back into the atmosphere through transpiration. And the warmer and windier it is, the more transpiration there is.
Automatic watering systems that water lawns are not sufficient to water trees. Trees benefit from shallow, slow, and thorough watering because it encourages the tree to develop deep roots. Shallow watering will encourage shallow, weak roots that will not provide long-term benefits to the tree. Remember, you can rely on mulch, especially in summer. A 4-inch layer of mulch to the drip line will help retain moisture and keep the soil cool around the tree.
When watering mature trees, don't water at the base of the trunk. Instead, moisten the soil at the tree's drip line. Water in the early morning or evening, and water slowly and deeply. Water every few days, making sure the soil doesn't dry out completely. Drip irrigation or a soaker hose that attaches to the end of a water hose makes it easy to do circles. Or, to cut down on watering hassle, hook the hose to a timer on an outdoor faucet. Young trees need more water, so you should water them daily for the first few weeks. After that, twice a week should be enough. How much is enough? You can use a soil moisture sensor, but an easy way to measure soil moisture is to see if a screwdriver can be easily inserted into the soil.
If you want to learn more about trees, check out the four-part series we wrote last fall on trees: If you take good care of your trees this summer, you probably won’t need an article about when to cut them down in the fall.
If you have any questions, please call the Odessa AgriLife office at 498-4071 or the Midland AgriLife office at 686-4700. More information and a blog with access to past articles can be found at westtexasgardening.org.[リソース]Please click on the.
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