Follow these Tips from Experienced ISA-Certified Arborists
From aesthetic appeal, shade and privacy, to improved air quality and reduced storm water runoff, the trees on your property serve many beneficial purposes. Although California’s chronic drought conditions have caused the death of many urban trees, established trees require surprisingly little water. In fact, with the right watering techniques, you can help your trees thrive through severe droughts and beyond. Rancho Coastal’s ISA-certified arborists explain how to water the landscaping trees on your San Diego Area property.
Learn the Right Techniques to Water Landscaping Trees
The trees on your Rancho Santa Fe or Coronado property need professional arbor care to keep them healthy and beautiful. However, their watering needs are minimal and inexpensive. Whether they are ornamental, heritage, or fruit-bearing, most varieties need infrequent but deep watering, usually once a month in summer and in the months with no rainfall.
How much water do you need?
Wilting, falling, fading, or browning leaves, or the absence of new leaf growth are signs that you may not be watering your trees adequately. Here’s a handy guide to the watering needs of your trees:
- Newly planted trees: Once a week for the first 3 years, with approximately 5 gallons of water for each watering session.
- Small, established, low-water trees: Once a month with about 20 gallons of water per session.
- Large, mature and water-smart varieties: Once a month with approximately 200 gallons of water per session.
Did you know? The average American household uses 17.2 gallons of water in every 8-minute shower. With this figure in mind, think about how little water your trees need!
How to water your trees.
Drip irrigation with separate zones for trees is the ideal system for watering the trees on your property.
- Watering location: Tree roots usually extend beyond the edge of the canopy. Adjust your sprinkler system to make sure that water reaches under as well as slightly beyond the drip line.
- Watering depth: Most of the absorbing tree roots are in the upper 18 to 24 inches of the soil. As long as water reaches that depth, your trees will flourish.
Pay attention to the soil moisture under your trees, to adjust the watering amount, as required. You can also refer to these informational videos with simple instructions on how to water landscaping trees in San Diego.
Why water trees during a drought?
While you may adopt other water-saving techniques for maintaining an attractive property during drought conditions, it is wise to keep watering and conserving your San Diego area landscaping trees.
- A shaded landscape reduces watering needs: Besides their low and infrequent water consumption, landscaping trees shade the rest of your plants, shrubs and landscape. This in turn reduces your property’s overall watering needs.
- Added cost and effort for pest and disease control: Insufficient watering will weaken your trees, making them more susceptible to pest damage and tree diseases.
- Tree removal is tedious and costly: Removing a dead tree requires permits, professional expertise, and appropriate equipment and safety gear. You may have to spend as much as $1,000 or more per tree.
- Replanting trees is an added expense: Until newly planted trees take strong roots and mature, you may have to incur additional expenses on their growth and maintenance in the early years.
Comprehensive Arbor Care by ISA-Certified Arborists
The watering techniques for every property may be slightly different. Much depends on the type of trees, surrounding foliage, type of soil, frequency of rainfall, occurrence of storms, and so on. For accurate watering techniques and comprehensive arbor care, rely on the ISA-certified professionals at Rancho Coastal. As a licensed, bonded and fully insured tree services company, we offer an extensive range of tree services to nurture and promote beautiful and healthy landscaping trees.
Whether it is tree pruning, applications and treatments, tree removal, or emergency tree services, commercial property owners and managers in Coronado and Rancho Santa Fe, CA count on us for their arbor care and landscape management requirements. Our services extend to properties across the San Diego Area, including Del Mar and La Jolla, CA.
Want to learn more about how to water landscaping trees and promote tree health and growth? Call the experts at Rancho Coastal at 619-847-4225 or contact us online.
