The trickle-down effect
Newly planted trees should be watered every day for the first 1–2 weeks.
Water trees even when dormant.
Water about 5 gallons per trunk diameter inch.
Stop watering when the ground freezes or temperatures dip below freezing.
You’ve chosen the perfect tree for your yard and made sure to plant that tree just where you want it. Before you kick back and admire your handiwork, be sure you’ve got a plan in place to keep that tree in tip-top shape, including a watering schedule to keep it healthy and thriving for generations to come.
When your new trees first arrive, regardless of whether they are in containers, bare-root, or wrapped in burlap, they have restricted root growth. As they become established, their roots will relax and grow.
A consistent tree watering schedule will help ensure that their root systems are strong and will grow wide and deep, acting as anchors to keep the trees upright and feed them plenty of nutrients. As trees get more established, you will gradually expand the watering zone out from the root ball to cover the area underneath the canopy. Here’s how to know what kind of watering schedule to keep your new trees on.
As soon as you plant your tree, make sure you give it a thorough watering. Remember that most of your tree’s roots are still within the original root ball, so keep that area and the surrounding soil evenly moist. Do not flood the area, as this will just displace the soil. The most effective way to keep the soil evenly moist is the use of a slow drip system, a soaker hose, or drip irrigation.
Water daily, soaking the root ball and surrounding planting area.
If you plant your tree in the fall and the temperatures are cooler, you can probably water daily for about one week.
If you choose to plant your tree in the spring as temperatures are gradually getting warmer, you may want to continue daily watering for two weeks.
Take rainfall into consideration. You will not need to water on the days that it rains.
Water every 2 to 3 days over the next several weeks. While this may seem like a big range of time, it will vary widely based on the climate you live in and the time of year you plant your tree. Rainfall and temperatures will directly affect how much you will need to water your tree.
For example, if you plant your tree in early spring and live in a climate that gets frequent spring and summer rain, you may not need to water as often as every three days.
By contrast, if you plant your tree in spring but you have dry, hot summers, you may want to water every 2–3 days on the dot.
As a general rule of thumb, allow only the first 2 to 3 inches of soil to dry out before soaking again.
Try to keep the top 12 inches or so of soil around a newly planted tree consistently and evenly moist as it is getting established. You can always dig around with a stick or a trowel to be sure the soil is staying moist.
Water your beautiful tree once a week until roots are established. The time it takes to “establish” can also vary from species to species and climate to climate.
Newly planted trees and shrubs are considered established when their root spread equals the spread of the above-ground canopy. This may take 2–3 years.
It is important to note you won’t need to water once a week for three years straight: take seasons into account. You will typically need to water once a week during the hottest, driest times of the year for two to three years as trees become more established.
If you plant your tree later in the fall, it will likely be winter before the end of 10 weeks, but don’t forget to water even if the tree has gone dormant.
Continue watering your tree until the ground freezes or temperatures consistently drop below freezing.
There is no one-gallon-fits-all for trees because the amount of water is based on the tree’s size, but you can follow the estimate of about 5 gallons of water per inch of the tree’s trunk diameter. You can measure or just give a close estimate.
If you’re thinking about adding some trees to your landscape but you’re not sure what to do next, hire a local landscaper and get brainstorming. Before you know it, you’ll have a tree, or three, to call your own.
And if you’ve got established trees or want to go larger scale, consider contacting a local arborist to help you hatch a plan for finding the best trees money can buy.
New trees operate a little differently than established ones. You’re trying to get the tree fully confirmed, so you’ll spend more time watering than you will once the tree is fully rooted. Not every gardener’s experience will be the same, however. Your exact watering schedule depends on a few factors.
If you live in a climate where there’s snow and freezing temperatures, don’t expect to plant a tree in the winter. The ground is too frozen, and the tree will likely die. If you plant a tree in the fall, you should stop watering it as the temperature grows colder, because the water won’t soak down into the roots any longer.
Although you might not think about it, wind has a direct effect on your tree via the soil around it. Consistent high winds can pull up soil or mulch, particularly newly laid soil, exposing your new tree’s roots to the elements.
Wind also dries up the soil, taking away some of the moisture from the plant. This means you may want to water your plant a little extra to avoid dehydration if you expect strong winds for long periods.
Those living in rainy climates get the luxury of not having to water their trees as often. Overwatering can damage your tree, leading to root rot. If there’s lots of rain in the forecast, don’t plan to water your trees that day.
When you plant a new tree, adding a layer of mulch over the soil can help retain moisture for the first few weeks. If you plan to use mulch, you won’t need to water your tree quite as often, but you should still water it daily for the first few weeks.
Amber Guetebier contributed to this piece.
Yes, it’s possible to overwater a newly-planted tree. Daily watering is great for the first few weeks, but it’s important not to go overboard. Excessive watering can lead to various problems, including root rot, fungal diseases, and a lack of root development.
Avoid watering your plants once temperatures regularly reach freezing temperatures or lower. Water won’t make it down to the roots at that point—it’ll just freeze to the topsoil level.
Tree roots establish themselves at different rates depending on the hardiness zone you’re in. In zones 9-11, which are warmer climates, trees take about three months to fully establish their root systems. For zones 7-8, which are warm climates with cool seasons, it’ll take about six months for trees to root. Colder climates that make up zones 2-6 take a year or more for roots to establish.
