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Put tree watering on your 'bucket' list

Use a 5-gallon bucket to deep-water where it's needed most


A 5-gallon bucket with a hole can deliver water
efficiently to a young tree's roots. (Photo courtesy
Sacramento Tree Foundation)

Are you worried about your trees during our current drought? Young trees in particular need extra irrigation to make sure they stay healthy and grow strong.

During very dry conditions, young trees of all kinds are most at risk, particularly under 5 years old. These saplings benefit from a slow, deep drink.

According to the Sacramento Tree Foundation, young trees need an extra 10 to 15 gallons of water a week in summer to get established and put down deep roots. The best way to apply this extra irrigation is not with a hose, but a bucket – with a hole in it.

The bucket method – applying water via a 5-gallon bucket – allows water to soak in slowly even in Sacramento’s heavy clay soils. If you just pour 5 gallons of water on the ground next to the tree, it will run off instead of soaking in. With a hose, it’s just a guess how much water you’re applying.

With the bucket, you know exactly how much and where that water will go – down into the tree’s root zone.

SacTree staff experimented and found that a single 1/8-inch hole – located on the bucket’s side about 1 inch above the bottom – was most effective in delivering water at just the right rate. On the bottom, the hole got clogged with dirt. With multiple or bigger holes, the water drained too fast.

How do you use a bucket with a hole in it? Cover the hole with duct tape, fill the bucket, put in place, then remove the tape.

Place the bucket close, within a foot of the trunk, to newly planted trees; their root ball still hasn’t spread out. Alternate sides with each bucket application. As the tree grows, move the bucket farther away from the trunk. The feeder roots that need the extra water most are located along the dripline at the edges of a tree’s canopy.

In the first year, give a young tree an extra 5 gallons two or three times a week, SacTree recommends. In the second year, make it 10 gallons once a week. At three years, increase the extra water allowance to 15 gallons but apply it every other week.

Mulch will help your trees retain that moisture longer. Apply 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch (wood chips, bark, leaves, etc.) out to the tree’s dripline, leaving 6 inches of space around the trunk. Mounding mulch around the trunk allows fungal diseases to attack the tree’s crown.

Mature trees benefit from extra irrigation, too. Instead of a bucket, use a soaker hose encircling the tree at its dripline and set a timer for one hour. Do that once a month.

For more tree tips, visit www.sactree.com .


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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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