For the first two to three years till trees get established.
Please water with either a slow running hose for 20 minutes at a time or with a Gator Bag (which can be purchased at Fannin Tree Farm) the goal is to "Deep Root" water.
Remember the depth of the container you first saw your tree in is the same depth as your trees root system; this is why we say a yards irrigation system is not adequate for watering a tree, mainly because an irrigation system will only reach a depth of approximately 2 inches, and even our smallest root ball depth is between 18-20 inches.
*Remember these are just guide lines for watering and certain factors should be kept in mind like, rain, cloud cover, and temperature, please adjust watering accordingly.
Below 70 degrees water as needed, check top of trees root ball for moisture.
70-80 degrees once a week
80-90 degrees twice a week
90-100 degrees three times a week
100+ degrees as needed
Please keep in mind it is possible to over water a tree.
For signs of over watering start with checking the top of the root ball, this can be done by simply walking across the top of the area, what you are looking for is saturation, the surface can be damp but your foot should not sink in. Also look at the leafs, if they are yellow in color and have what can be described as a leathery feel to them along with being hard to be pulled from tree, all of these can also be a good indications of over watering.
**When using mulch keep a depth of no more than 1.5-2 inches on top of the root ball, too much mulch can result in lack of oxygen to the tree, causing suffocation.
We strongly recommend the use of Superthrive (vitamin/growth hormone) once a month; if you start to see any decline in the health of your tree you can up the usage to twice a month.
*Instructions are as follows:
Mix 2 Tablespoons of Superthirve in 5 gallons of water and pour directly over root ball area. Superthive can be purchased at Home Depot and some Walmarts. That along with the use of a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote, which is broadcasted across the top of the root area twice a year (April & August) will help insure the health and longevity of your tree for years to come.
Please feel free to call us with any other questions and concerns.