Baumalight DR444, Operator'S Manual, Page: 21 / 28

top. There are many brands and types of materials
from which to choose. They have proven to be
beneficial in discouraging weeds and conserving
soil moisture.
6�2�6 Watering
Moisture is critical to trees, but too much moisture
can cause serious damage. The amount of water
to apply depends on the tree and when it was
planted.
6�2�7 Selecting The Proper Plant
Selecting the proper plant is very important for
dry, desert-like climates to avoid heavy watering
requirements. It is usually recommended to choose
plants that are suited for dry conditions; this type of
landscaping is called xerophytic.
6�2�8 Watering Newly Planted Trees
Watering should be done at the time of planting
to settle the soil and to assure adequate soil
moisture. The first watering is normally done by
the planting crew soon after planting. After the first
watering, adequate water must be provided by the
property owner unless there has been sufficient
rain to keep the soil moist. The critical months for
watering are May through September (this period
of time may be extended in warm climates).
6�2�9 Watering After Planting
Most trees need to be watered for two to three
years after transplanting to provide adequate
soil moisture while root systems are becoming
established. In the past it was recommended that
a “saucer” be formed around the soil ball to make
a water-holding reservoir. Recent studies have
shown that this practice actually encourages roots
to stay in the area of the soil ball instead of growing
into the surrounding soil. This can increase the
time it takes for the tree to get established in the
landscape. It is now recommended that the root
ball and surrounding area of a newly transplanted
tree be watered.
To determine the level of moisture, remove a small
amount of soil at the edge of the ball with a hand
trowel and squeeze it. If you can form a moist
sticky ball, it is too wet. If it crumbles like chalk, it
is too dry. You must provide enough water to keep
at least the top 4 inches of soil moist. The exact
amount of water needed will vary.
A 3 inch diameter tree moved by a tree spade may
require 60 to 80 gallons of water every 10 days if
rain does not occur.
Distributed soils are frequently high in clay subsoil
and tend to drain poorly. If these conditions exist,
watering for a prolonged period of time may result
in over watering and cause the roots to drown
from lack of adequate soil aeration. Adding large
quantities of water too frequently to heavy clay
soils is detrimental and will result in death of the
tree. Conversely, waiting until the tree wilts and the
leaves start to turn brown is too late to water.
6�2�10 Watering Established Trees
Large trees can be watered with lawn sprinklers.
Apply water at rate of 1 inch per watering, 2 inches
if there is vigorous lawn grass near and under the
tree. Water at a rate low enough to keep water
from running off. Do not water daily; this can
damage your tree by suffocating its roots. Instead
plan you’re watering based on the severity of the
drought conditions. Generally anywhere from once
every two weeks to once every 4 to 5 days will
suffice.
Most tree roots are not very deep (within the
upper four to eight inches of soil), and deep roots
will receive water if enough is applied to the soil
surface. Tree roots can extend away from the
19