How much to water newly planted trees?

At Barcham, we have the following recommendations for you:

• Use a watering can with a rose attachment on the end to water or a sprinkler or other such method that will administer water slowly and at a low pressure, mimicking rainfall
• Water should be applied to the base of the tree, evenly distributed over the entirety of the root-ball to encourage even root development.
• A newly planted tree should be watered in when planted, and at the point of bud burst in the spring and should be continued throughout the spring and summer until the leaves have fallen in autumn (for deciduous trees).
• After planting, continue regular watering for the first two summers. By the third year, most trees can access water from the surrounding soil on their own.
• Evergreens may occasionally need a little water during dry winter spells, but this doesn’t need to be routine — just water if the soil is dry for an extended period.
• During the height of summer, water should be applied at a rate of 2 domestic bucket fulls (or 20 litres of water) every other day.  This figure is the aim to reach during the height of summer and can be gradually increased to this in the spring and decreased before ceasing watering in the autumn.

   Tips to help make the most of your watering:

• If you’re using an automatic watering system, inspect it frequently. Leaks, blockages or faults can go unnoticed until your tree starts showing signs of stress; by then, it may be too late.
• Whether you’re using an irrigation system or watering by hand, try to measure how much water you’re using and how often. If something goes wrong, this information will help us help you diagnose the issue.
• Use organic mulch at the base of the tree to help retain water, prevent weed growth and also give you an indication of where you need to water! All of the Barcham planting kits are supplied with a bag of organic bark mulch.
• Just because it’s been raining doesn’t mean your newly planted tree has had enough water. Rain often doesn’t reach the root ball directly, especially if the tree has a wide canopy. Continue to water the base even after light rain.
• After watering, the soil around your tree should drain within 10 minutes. If water is still sitting there, you may need to improve the drainage.

If you would like some help with your watering, we supply Tree Watering Bags, which can be purchased with your tree(s). These help you to achieve all of the above, with minimal fuss!