There is a great article about watering your trees in the Sacramento Bee today. I am going to highlight a few points and attach a link so you can read the entire article.

• Without trees, our area will be hotter with more air pollution and less wildlife.
• 12.5 million forest trees have already died in California due to the drought.
• Many people have cut back or stopped watering their lawn but the trees still need to be watered.
• Treat your trees like Mother Nature

o   Water deep and slow.

o   Make sure the water reaches at least 12 inches (we recommend 24 inches).

o   Water early in the morning or after sunset. That is when trees naturally replace water they have lost to heat during the day.

o   Apply water directly to the drip line with a hose on a gentle trickle, soaker hose, drip lines or buckets.

o   Don't prune or fertilize.

o   Mimic Mother Nature by mulching. Spread mulch (wood chips, bark, straw, shredded leaves, pine needles, compost, etc.) in a circle around the tree 2-4 inches thick and at least 3 feet wide.

• Stressed out trees.

o   Coastal redwood

o   European white birch

o   Pines

• Even drought tolerant trees such as crepe myrtles and native California sycamores are showing signs of stress.

Click here to read the entire article. 

My neighbor decided to stop watering her lawn but still water her trees. She bought a soaker hose and circled the tree to the drip line.

• The first week she water for 2 ½ hours and the water was on full blast.
• Moisture reached 26 inches.
• The second week she measured again and the moisture was at 12 inches.
• The third week she watered again for 2 ½ hours but not at full blast.
• Moisture reached 24 inches.
• It looks like she will water every other week.
• The first picture is her lawn with the soaker hose.