Being in the garden or outside in the sun for only 10 minutes is sometimes all that’s needed to get some perspective, and can even be a lifesaver to some. The garden is the most honest and authentic place one can be, and just a short break outside can fuel us to get back inside and finish a less than perfect day. The sun, the wind, the trees, the birds, flowers, the buzz and the flow – the working oneness.
Let’s take a journey together and fall in love with nature again. See what is right in front of you, and if you don’t like what you see, we can work together to make it something worth seeing. Together with my team and Beloved Magazine, we will give you our best tips to make your garden perfect, and then it’s up to you to do the rest.
We are going to kick off with water! This is the lifeline for any beautiful garden, almost like the blood flowing through your veins, you cannot live without it. Here are some tips from a blog we did several years ago: 7 tips for watering trees. Start here and you will soon be seeing a difference.
- Water newly planted trees immediately.
This one probably sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s important to mention anyway.
- Deep water trees in the first two growing seasons.
Young trees use up a lot of energy trying to establish their roots in the soil. So, as you can imagine, trees have a hard time dealing with drought and heat in their first couple of years. Deep watering- which means keeping the soil moist to a depth that includes all roots- can help speed up root establishment.
- For established trees, check soil moisture before watering.
Use a trowel to dig a few inches into the soil and touch it to see its moisture level. Generally, soil should be moist, not dry or drenched. If trees need watering, generally 30 seconds with a steady stream of water is adequate, or the ratio of 5 gallons per inch of trunk diameter is also used.
- Don’t overwater.
Yes, you can overwater trees. Some symptoms of overwatering are yellow leaves (usually starting on lower branches), black or dark brown roots (symptoms of root rot), fungus or algae growing on the soil surface or surface roots, green leaves that are brittle, or the wilting of young shoots.
- Use mulch.
Mulch not only adds a little curb appeal, it is also essential to retaining moisture and soil temperature. Check out the article “All You Need to Know About Mulch” from Fra-Dor, Inc.
- Know your tree.
Different tree species have different watering requirements, so do a little research on your trees so you know best practices.
- Water efficiently.
Water late at night when evaporations rates are at their lowest. Don’t use spray head sprinklers since much of the water can be lost in the wind. You could also create a basin around a tree by building a berm at the drip line to prevent runoff.
- Keep up the watering.
A good rule of thumb is to water trees about once a week during the growing season. Weather conditions will dictate if you need to water more or less than this. Again, check the soil by digging down a few inches and checking its moisture.
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