PLYMOUTH, Minnesota — We love our trees. They have perhaps the most impact on our landscape so we want to keep them healthy! This time of year the garden chores are winding down, but watering is still a big priority.
Travis McDonald from Davey Tree has some expert advice.
He advises, “The biggest thing that we need to know right now is water, water, water. It is dry. So any landscape trees you might have, shrubs, evergreens. Water now and right up until the ground freezes.”
Even the big 100 year old and well established trees need to be watered!
Many trees have grass, or turf, growing around their base. This grass soaks up a lot of the moisture both when we water and from rain throughout the season. So that leaves even less for the tree. Having mulch instead of grass around the trees is a much better option for the tree.
Without water, the tree may die. But also, what Travis calls a “secondary host” moves in. This is disease of pests that are much more likely to infect or infest a stressed tree than a healthy tree.
Here’s Travis’ tips for correctly watering.
- You want a deep water every 5 to 7 days right up until the ground freeze.
- Aim for 2” of water for the entire drip line of the tree.
- Put a hose on trickle for a good two hours right next to the trunk.
Some low maintenance and healthy trees that Travis is loving right now:
- Hackberry
- Catalpa
- Kentucky Coffeetree
- Swamp White Oak
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