Watering Instructions
*Important* Develop a proper watering plan for your location.
Many factors actually determine how often you will have to water your plants. The soil condition, the planting location, the weather, irrigation run-off and many other factors can all play a role in how often you will have to water.
A few days after the planting and initial watering begin The Soil Moisture Test as described below.
1. Dig a small hole with a garden trowel (8"-12" deep for trees) and (4"-6" deep for shrubs) at the base of the plant
2. Take some of the soil at that depth and squeeze it in your hand. If the soil....
-clumps together and stays in a ball, no additional water is needed at the time. DO NOT water the plant, wait one or two more days and repeat steps 1&2
-crumbles and won't hold together in a ball, the plant needs water. Water the plant. Record how many days since you last watered.
3. Based on the results from the first steps, adjust the number of days before you check the soil and repeat the test. After just a couple weeks of checking the soil before watering and making adjustments, you will get a good idea of how often your new plants will need to be watered.
Watering Guidelines
At the time of planting water each plant thoroughly to reduce transplant shock and eliminate air pockets around the root ball.
All plants need oxygen & water in their root systems. If too much water is in the soil it fills up the air pockets & pushes the oxygen out. Therefore too much water in the root system can kill the plant due to lack of oxygen. Long deep soakings each time you water are the best because it allows the plant to develop a cycle of water intake them oxygen intake. Allow the soil around the plant to dry before you water again. This way you will ensure that the plant is getting both the water and oxygen that it needs.
Remember to focus your watering directly on the root mass of the plant, get the water where the roots are. This is why watering with a slow soak is the best.
During the fall and winter months apply the same amount of water per watering as in the spring and summer, however, you can reduce the frequency to approximately once or twice per month. This is critical to your plants survival through cold and dry winter months. Snow alone will not provide enough moisture for new plants. Remember, 12" of snow is only about 1" of water.
Trees: Apply at least 10 gallons of water per inch of caliper, per week. (For example, a 2" tree should receive approximately 20 gallons of water per week]
Evergreens: 6 ft. tree =1.5”, 7 ft. tree = 1.75”, 8 ft. tree = 2” etc.
Shrubs: Apply at least 2-3 gallons of water per watering.