Deep Watering Will Change Your Trees – See Why
“Will deep watering help my trees to look healthy?” It is a question that pops up more and more as we get near the summer season. This isn’t really a cutting-edge concept, but it has popped up on online homecare sites and even on social media, so consumers want to know more about it. Deep watering, or deep root watering, offers your tree the kind of watering that it really needs, most especially during the summer months when it is very hot and Mother Nature doesn’t deliver on the rain.
These are the times when your trees are withered and are showing signs that they might just need some help, but you can’t necessarily read them. By the time you can look at them, it is commonly too late and you have to do something more than merely water them.
Still, there are a few things you need to grasp about deep watering just before you do it.
4. Trees and Shrubs Ought to Be Watered Deeply
- Tree branches tend to go deeper
- They will also spread far and wide around the tree
- Trees are the most susceptible in a drought
According to the Morton Arboretum, “There is no reason to water the leaves of a plant. Water the soil, where the roots are. The Arboretum recommends watering within the drip line of a tree, from the trunk out to the end of the branches, to reach the roots most effectively. The water-absorbing roots are within the top two feet of soil; you want to keep these roots moist but not wet.”
This is why it is so important to deep water your shrubs and hedges. These are some of the most unguarded parts of your yard and they also tend to be the most challenging to water. They are probably the ones that need the most water too, because their deep roots often don’t get the water that you do use– plants and weeds will get it first. During the driest part of the summer, they are really at risk.
You don’t want to thoroughly soak the ground so that the soil starts to move, but you do want to do some deep watering.
3. How Deep The Water Goes
- The roots acquire the water, not the leaves
- 12″ to 18″ deep, depending on the plant
- Some gardens might not need to have it that deep, some require deeper
When you water your plants every day, you probably allow your hose to mist some water onto the leaves of your plants and the soil around the plants. Having said that, most plants don’t have leaves or stems that can soak up the water. Alternatively, it has to make its way into the ground and eventually get to the root system.
The problem is that, when it is very hot outside, the water disappears almost immediately and ends up not getting to the plants. According to Slate, this is why lots of plants and trees continue to die, even if you have already watered them often. It is also why people think they are overwatering their plants.
The truth is that they aren’t watering them carefully. Deep watering goes deeper into the ground so that the roots get the water.
2. Use a Soaker For Easier Watering
- Good for people who aren’t home all the time
- Can be DIY ‘d by certain people
- Do not over water with this system
Don’t like to be out in the blistering sunlight all the time? You aren’t alone, and that is why there are so many possibilities for ways to water your backyards and grass that don’t mandate you to remain outdoors for too long. If this sounds like you, you might want to invest in a soaker hose or soaker system. A soaker hose is basically an addition to your ordinary garden hose. This addition has eyelets every so often, holes that are smaller than a hose hole, but still big enough to let out water. Once you put this onto your hose, you can then situate it through your flower gardens and set up it where you need it to be. This works quite well, but, according to the DIY Network, you can make your own so you get well-defined regulation of where the water goes.
These still use a bit of water, but they are regarded to be better than the typical sprinkler systems because they put the water exclusively where it needs to be, not up into the atmosphere in the first place.
This type of system is pretty good for people who don’t or can’t take care of their yards, people who are always away from their gardens, and those who purely have too much to keep up with when it comes to taking care of their yards.
1. It Won’t Work for All Plants
- Deep watering won’t work for plants with shallower roots
- Most won’t be endangered by it either
- Helpful for annuals and bigger plants
One common error that people make is that they assume that deep watering will work for all of the plants in their yard– this isn’t accurate. In fact, perennials and herbaceous plants don’t need deep watering because they do not have roots that go too deep into the ground, according to Gardeners. Instead, their root systems are closer to the exterior. You will want to spend maybe a few short seconds more over them with the hose, but you don’t really need to look into deep watering at all.
As always, you want to look at your plants to see if there are warnings of over watering or under watering.
In fact, the best technique here is to hand water your perennials and plants so that you know exactly how much water they are getting at any specific time.
At times, it can seem frivolous to think so much about watering your trees. Having said that, they do need it and you have a duty to take care of them.
If you are looking for a tree care professional in Richmond, give Ridgeline Tree Service a call today at (804) 378-2900. We will help you to better understand your trees and how to handle any springtime issues that you may find.
