Summer Watering: One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Trees

Long, hot days can take a real toll on trees. And a little help from you can protect the trees that shade your home AND help them get more than all the treatment you can pay for.

When summer gets hot and there’s no rain in sight, the soil around a tree can dry out faster than the tree can replace the moisture it loses. Drought stress may show up as brown or crispy leaf edges, wilting, early leaf drop, or a generally thin canopy. Even when symptoms are not obvious, dry soil can put a tree under stress.

Supplemental watering supports the root system and helps a tree stay resilient through the dry season. Because many absorbing roots are relatively close to the soil surface and spread outward beneath the canopy, watering the surrounding root zone is more helpful than spraying the trunk or pouring water in one small spot.

A simple DIY watering setup

Get a soaker hose. Its porous material releases water slowly along the length of the hose. Pick a length that can cover the area beneath the tree’s canopy. (Like this one here at Amazon)
Arrange it around the root zone. Loosely coil the hose beneath the canopy and within the tree’s drip line. Keep the hose slightly away from the trunk instead of wrapping it tightly against the base.
Use low flow for a long soak. Turn the water on low and let it run overnight so moisture can move deeply into the soil instead of running off the surface.
Repeat during dry weather. As a general starting point, water about once every two weeks until the cool, rainy season returns. Your tree species, soil, slope, recent rainfall, and local watering rules may call for adjustments.

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Make every drop count

Add a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch over the root zone to slow moisture loss and improve conditions for roots. Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk and leave the root flare visible. A mulch “volcano” piled against the bark can hold too much moisture at the trunk and contribute to decay.

Slow, deep watering is the goal. If water puddles or runs away, lower the flow. Check the soil afterward to learn how far the moisture traveled, then adjust the hose position or watering time during the next session.