New plants are most delicate in the weeks immediately following planting. During this time, they are establishing their roots, a process that requires them to have ample water and the right growing conditions.
This is especially important for trees, which are often a significant investment in your landscaping, and you want to be sure you are providing the right care so that the tree will grow a strong root system and be healthy for many years to come. The health of your tree begins with the correct watering schedule.
Determining the Best Watering Schedule for New Trees
How often and how much you should water a sapling depends on the type of tree, its size, where you plant it, and other weather conditions. In general, you should water any tree within a few hours after planting it, and then water the tree daily throughout the first week. At this point, the tree will be slightly more established and should be able to go about a week between waterings depending on the weather.
The amount of water you need to use will depend almost entirely on the type of tree. For most trees, several gallons of water is often required. The best way to do this is to water slowly to give the water time to absorb into the soil below.
To give you an idea of watering routines, these are the water requirements for a variety of trees that grow well in Baton Rouge:
- Meyer Lemon Trees – These are smaller trees that are both ornamental and provide the benefit of fresh lemons. You want to water lemon trees once a week so that the soil around the tree is kept moist, but should not be flooded. These trees also need weekly waterings throughout their lifetime.
- Spruce Pine – A spruce pine fully grown can be up to 60 feet tall, making for an impressive tree at Baton Rouge properties. A new spruce pine should be watered throughout the first year to keep the top inch of soil moist. After a year, a spruce pine is often established enough to survive on its own with just rain.
- Crepe Myrtle – A crepe myrtle is about 20 feet high with beautiful pink blossoms in the spring. They need weekly watering in the beginning. For each watering, you should plan to water slowly for about an hour to get the tree the amount of water it needs.
These guidelines are for trees planted directly into the ground. Trees in pots have slightly different requirements and will not need as much water since the water will be contained in the pot. This may mean that even for new trees, you will not water every day. Instead, water anytime at the top 2 inches of soil in the pot feels dry, and continue to water until you notice water draining from the bottom of the pot.
While your tree is becoming established, pay daily attention to it until you get a feel for how weather, the amount of shade and sunlight, and other factors are affecting how quickly it dries out. This ensures that you have a beautiful tree for many years.
Leeson Landscape is a Baton Rouge landscaper and landscape maintenance company that you can also rely on for tree planting services. Whether we are helping you establish your landscape or keeping new plantings thriving with our ongoing landscape maintenance services, we will keep your yard looking its most beautiful. Call us to learn more.