(Washington D.C.) This summer’s drought and stretches of triple digit temperatures are taking their toll on everything from crops and pastures to lawns and trees.
Art Smith with East Pierre Landscape and Garden Center says what comes out of your lawn sprinkler system doesn’t typically count toward providing water for trees, but it does help—somewhat.
Smith gives an example of how a lawn sprinkler system could be used to water trees.
To better get the water to where the tree roots need it, Smith suggests putting together a series of hoses and sprinklers around a mature tree.
He says figuring out how long to leave a sprinkler running can be figured out in a fairly simple way.
Smith says the critical area to water is NOT at the base of the trunk—it’s 2/3 of the height of the tree out from the trunk. For example, a 30 foot tree needs the water to be in a circle 20 feet around the trunk, at a minimum, to best reach the tree’s root system.
Additionally, he says a two inch or more layer of mulch underneath trees and shrubs is always a good idea because it helps prevent water loss through evaporation.
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Submitted by Micheal Clements on Wed, 08/18/2021 – 10:45
Source: FBRD (Farm Broadcaster)
Audio provided by Jody Heemstra, KGFX, Pierre, South Dakota
Audio with Art Smith, East Pierre Landscape and Garden Center
