WATERING:

During the first year after planting, water is the most important factor in new tree nutrition. Deep, thorough watering done occasionally is much better than the constant shallow watering offered by sprinkling systems. Place a hose at the base of the tree and allow a trickle of water to flow for at least 15 minutes. Trees in sandy soil should be watered more often than trees in heavy soils. Heavy soils drain slowly, and you must allow time to elapse between watering.

Because most tree roots are found in the upper 18-24 inches of the soil, this is the area that should be wetted up in each irrigation cycle. Each deep watering will meet a tree's water needs for between 7 to 10 days during the hottest part of the summer depending on the tree species and soil type.

Water displaces air in the soil so long periods of soil saturation can suffocate growing roots. Take a long enough break between irrigation cycles to allow the free water to be absorbed.