As the unprecedented drought continues to affect California and the San Diego region, homeowners can still balance the need to conserve water as efficiently as possible while preserving valuable landscaping, including trees.
As the unprecedented drought continues to affect California and the San Diego region, homeowners can still balance the need to conserve water as efficiently as possible while preserving valuable landscaping, including trees. Trees can be maintained while following California’s water guidelines.
As the unprecedented drought continues to affect California and the San Diego region, homeowners can still balance the need to conserve water as efficiently as possible while preserving valuable landscaping, including trees.
Trees can be maintained while following California’s water guidelines. Trees are among the most valuable investment in San Diego County’s landscape – including your own WaterSmart landscaping. No other landscape plant offers more significant benefits to your landscape and the environment. Trees provide much-needed shade and cooling to increasingly hot neighborhoods and cities and are among the most efficient natural ways to remove harmful carbon dioxide fueling global warming.
When mature trees die due to lack of irrigation, they become a dangerous fire hazard. They are expensive to remove. Young replacement trees take many years to provide the benefits of mature trees. Taking care of your trees during drought ensures a tremendous return on this investment.
Even when not in an acute drought, trees planted in a Mediterranean climate often need some additional water. Mimic the way Mother Nature provides water for the most effective irrigation.
Healthy tree roots reach three to four feet deep at the outer edge of a tree’s branches, where rainfall would naturally run off leaves. This area at the edge of the tree canopy is called the drip line.
When it does rain, Mother Nature’s rainfall is primarily steady, slow, and spread out. Follow this method to deliver a prolonged, slow soaking. Trees prefer infrequent deep watering. During drought, slow watering every two or three weeks for more established trees is sufficient. Avoid runoff with multiple cycles to allow water to soak deeply. Irrigate early in the morning to minimize evaporation.
Keep in mind turf competes with your trees for water. Even if you want to retain some lawn, it’s smart to remove the lawn immediately around your trees and replace it with WaterSmart landscaping.
Carefully selected trees are the most valuable addition to your sustainable landscaping. Photo: Helix Water District
Drought is a reality in the San Diego region as average temperatures increase. As summer months become hotter, soils dry out. Trees must be deep watered to supply their roots and preserve their health.
San Diego forestry and landscaping professionals are working with the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies to help protect our region’s trees while also conserving water. Find more resources and learn more at drought.katestrees.org.
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(Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies offer programs, resources, and incentives to improve water-use efficiency for residential, commercial, and agricultural users. WaterSmart choices are a way of life in the region. Stay WaterSmart San Diego! For more water-use efficiency resources, go to WaterSmart.SD.org. The Helix Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
Pasadena Water and Power is planning to step up water conservation efforts beginning this September as California slips deeper into drought.
Speaking to members of the Municipal Services Committee on Tuesday, July 13, PWP Interim General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said the agency will soon propose the implementation of a level 3 Water Supply Shortage Plan, which would limit watering days to one day per week.
Trees are a very essential part of California’s infrastructure, with some of them taking 20 to 30 years to mature. Despite the drought, watering these important resources remains vital.
“We don’t want to put them at risk for various diseases because they’re not getting enough water. The tree tends to get used to the amount of water that’s there in the area. So as we dial back watering our lawns, we have to be aware that we might be stressing the tree that’s gotten used to the watering that we previously were doing,” Chief Sustainability Officer of StreetsLA Greg Spotts told “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen.
The lowly sidewalk tree often stands invisible. We rest in its shade, bask in the scent of springtime flowers, and we don’t notice it until it’s gone.
But the tree works hard. It captures and filters stormwater runoff and helps replenish groundwater. It cleans our air and cools our neighborhoods. It improves our mental health. It saves lives.
As drought continues to affect California, homeowners must balance two needs: preserving landscaping with irrigation while doing so as efficiently as possible to conserve water.
Even when not in a drought, trees planted in a Mediterranean climate often need additional water. For the most effective irrigation, mimic the way Mother Nature provides water.
As drought continues to affect California, homeowners must balance two needs: preserving landscaping with irrigation while doing so as efficiently as possible to conserve water.
Even when not in a drought, trees planted in a Mediterranean climate often need additional water. For the most effective irrigation, mimic the way Mother Nature provides water.
Nature designed trees so rain would fall on the leaves and run off to the sides of the tree – much like rain hits an umbrella and rolls down off the side. It falls in a circle around the perimeter.
When irrigating trees, this same approach provides the most moisture to roots and maximizes water use. This outer edge around a tree where rain falls is called the drop line. This is where the tree sends out its most vigorous feeder roots to soak up available moisture. Using a hose to water at the trunk of trees doesn’t reach many of the roots.
Focus on longer, slower delivery of water than mimics a long, light rainfall. Photo: Ulrike Leone
When it does rain, Mother Nature’s rainfall is primarily steady, slow, and spread out. Borrow this method to deliver a long, slow soaking. Trees prefer infrequent deep watering. Once a week or less for more established trees is sufficient.
Water in a slow drip away from the trunk, long enough to soak the top 12 inches of soil in the drip line. Use a hose on a very slow trickle, a soaker hose, drip irrigation in the proper areas, or this clever method.
Use a five-gallon bucket with small holes to slowly release water to a tree’s deepest roots. Photo: Sacramento Tree Foundation
Use a five-gallon bucket and poke several holes in the bottom. Put the bucket on top of the soil along the drip line. Fill the bucket with water. The water will seep out slowly and deeply into the soil. When it’s empty, move the bucket about three feet away, and repeat the process. Do this until you have made a circle in the drip line around the tree.
You can fill the bucket with water gathered in your daily shower. In a household with several people, you may be able to fill a five-gallon bucket daily. Water early in the morning or after sunset, so you lose less water to evaporation. This is when trees gather moisture naturally.
If you have hard, rocky ground, drill holes one foot deep every three feet around the tree along the drip line. Fill the holes with compost, and then pour water into them. This vertical mulch will encourage the roots to grow.
Finally, bear in mind turf competes with your trees for water. Even if you want to retain some lawn, it’s smart to remove the lawn immediately around your trees and replace it with WaterSmart landscaping.
