Tree health has been one of the major issues occurring throughout our region. Environmental extremes play a major role in the overall health and longevity of trees. Droughts and floods can have both long and short-term effects. In many cases, trees can exhibit symptoms years or decades later. When we have the ability to step-in and care for trees ourselves during dry conditions, we need to consider the age of the tree, size of the tree and how we water. When watering trees, we must do it in a way that promotes a healthy root system that will ensure longevity. Here are some tips to use to ensure that water is delivered properly.
I have been reading and thinking a lot about how to explain the correct way to water trees in our area. So how should we water trees in the absence of rain? First of all, water needs to be applied slowly to avoid run-off and to allow water to absorb as deeply as possible into the soil. Especially if you have clay soil. For new trees planted in the spring, they should be watered 3 times a week for the first month and then 2 times a week for the second month and 1 time a week during the third month. After that and through the summer, you should water deeply 1-2 times a month. Keep in mind this is during the absence of rain. If the trees are within a lawn area that gets watered, then you should be fine unless we have a prolonged drought. At that point I would add another watering event each month just to ensure the tree has adequate moisture.
For established or mature trees, keep in mind that the drip line (feeder roots) is where the majority of water uptake occurs. Keep in mind that if you are watering your lawn and the trees are within the lawn, that should be enough. Also, keep in mind that lawns only need 1” of water per week during the growing season. Make sure to let the ground dry out a little between watering events. This helps lawn roots search deeper for moisture and minimizes the possibility of root rot of both the tree and the lawn roots. As temperatures cool down, trees will not need as much water. Evaporation is less and water usage from the tree is less.
During stressful years or events, trees respond and survive by mobilizing and depleting stored reserves. Environmental extremes add up over the years. Each tree will show symptoms at different times and in different ways. So, when you start seeing symptoms, just keep in mind the history of the tree. How many catastrophic events has that tree seen over the last 10, 20 or 50 years? Just in the past 15 years we have experienced the drought of 2011 and record rainfall caused by hurricane Harvey in 2017, the major freeze event of 2021 and now the drought from last 2 summers. And the list goes on. Our trees have been negatively impacted by previous events. They will continue to show symptoms now and in the future. Do what you can to provide additional deep moisture to trees during dry periods to ensure long-term health.
Don’t forget to send your garden questions to Plant Answers at 9020 Airport Rd., Conroe TX 77303 or e-mail me at mpotter@ag.tamu.edu.
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