Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

--
--
BJ in Texas
Address munged, make the obvious change.

Depending on the size of the tree, a 3-4 inch layer of mulch around the base
out at least 2 feet, more if it is bigger, will do a lot to help stabilize
the moisture content. When the soil under the mulch is dry down a couple of
knuckles deep then it is time for a good, slow, deep soaking. You can't
water too much at any one time when water is called for but you can water
too often. A couple of gallons of Hasta Grow solution every month at the
watering time will also help. Avoid just sprinkling a little bit on the
surface but if you are going by with the hose a good shower over the entire
tree is helpful anytime. If you see the tips of the leaves start to turn
brown then you are either watering too much or not enough. You will have to
decide which it is as it is a sign of root problems. Most of the time it is
a case of too much water. Good Luck.

"BJ in Texas" wrote in message
...
Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

--
--
BJ in Texas
Address munged, make the obvious change.

Depending on the size of the tree, a 3-4 inch layer of mulch around the base
out at least 2 feet, more if it is bigger, will do a lot to help stabilize
the moisture content. When the soil under the mulch is dry down a couple of
knuckles deep then it is time for a good, slow, deep soaking. You can't
water too much at any one time when water is called for but you can water
too often. A couple of gallons of Hasta Grow solution every month at the
watering time will also help. Avoid just sprinkling a little bit on the
surface but if you are going by with the hose a good shower over the entire
tree is helpful anytime. If you see the tips of the leaves start to turn
brown then you are either watering too much or not enough. You will have to
decide which it is as it is a sign of root problems. Most of the time it is
a case of too much water. Good Luck.

"BJ in Texas" wrote in message
...
Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

--
--
BJ in Texas
Address munged, make the obvious change.

Depending on the size of the tree, a 3-4 inch layer of mulch around the base
out at least 2 feet, more if it is bigger, will do a lot to help stabilize
the moisture content. When the soil under the mulch is dry down a couple of
knuckles deep then it is time for a good, slow, deep soaking. You can't
water too much at any one time when water is called for but you can water
too often. A couple of gallons of Hasta Grow solution every month at the
watering time will also help. Avoid just sprinkling a little bit on the
surface but if you are going by with the hose a good shower over the entire
tree is helpful anytime. If you see the tips of the leaves start to turn
brown then you are either watering too much or not enough. You will have to
decide which it is as it is a sign of root problems. Most of the time it is
a case of too much water. Good Luck.

"BJ in Texas" wrote in message
...
Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

--
--
BJ in Texas
Address munged, make the obvious change.

I've never used those "deep" watering attachements and I've planted more
trees than I care to count. It's a popular misconception that tree's roots
run deep. Most of the water that is soaked up by a tree comes from very
near the surface.

You'll want to make sure the grass is cleared out to the drip line at least.
Grass will soak up a huge amount of water meant for the tree if you allow
grass to grow up to the trunk. For years I've always applied a thick layer
of mulch around all my trees. This year I've started using "fake" mulch
made out of old tires. It is sold as a 24" or 36" ring that you place
around the tree. Whatever solution you choose, this is a critical step
because otherwise water will evaporate at the surface much too quickly.

As far as how much you water, it really depends on your soil type and how
big the tree is. Soils that drain well will require more frequent watering.
Clay soils will require less frequent watering. If you planted a small
tree, say 5 gal or less, then you'll need to keep the tree watered on a
regular basis (daily or every other day) for 3 months or so. If you planted
a large tree, you may need to keep regular waterings up for a year or so.
The larger the tree, the longer it's going to take before the tree's root
system grows enough to support the tree with periodic rainfalls.

Here's a good method my grandfather taught me. Take a 5 gallon bucket and
punch a very small hole in the bottom. Place the bucket near the base of
the tree and fill the bucket up daily.

"BJ in Texas" wrote in message
...
Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

I've never used those "deep" watering attachements and I've planted more
trees than I care to count. It's a popular misconception that tree's roots
run deep. Most of the water that is soaked up by a tree comes from very
near the surface.

You'll want to make sure the grass is cleared out to the drip line at least.
Grass will soak up a huge amount of water meant for the tree if you allow
grass to grow up to the trunk. For years I've always applied a thick layer
of mulch around all my trees. This year I've started using "fake" mulch
made out of old tires. It is sold as a 24" or 36" ring that you place
around the tree. Whatever solution you choose, this is a critical step
because otherwise water will evaporate at the surface much too quickly.

As far as how much you water, it really depends on your soil type and how
big the tree is. Soils that drain well will require more frequent watering.
Clay soils will require less frequent watering. If you planted a small
tree, say 5 gal or less, then you'll need to keep the tree watered on a
regular basis (daily or every other day) for 3 months or so. If you planted
a large tree, you may need to keep regular waterings up for a year or so.
The larger the tree, the longer it's going to take before the tree's root
system grows enough to support the tree with periodic rainfalls.

Here's a good method my grandfather taught me. Take a 5 gallon bucket and
punch a very small hole in the bottom. Place the bucket near the base of
the tree and fill the bucket up daily.

"BJ in Texas" wrote in message
...
Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

I've never used those "deep" watering attachements and I've planted more
trees than I care to count. It's a popular misconception that tree's roots
run deep. Most of the water that is soaked up by a tree comes from very
near the surface.

You'll want to make sure the grass is cleared out to the drip line at least.
Grass will soak up a huge amount of water meant for the tree if you allow
grass to grow up to the trunk. For years I've always applied a thick layer
of mulch around all my trees. This year I've started using "fake" mulch
made out of old tires. It is sold as a 24" or 36" ring that you place
around the tree. Whatever solution you choose, this is a critical step
because otherwise water will evaporate at the surface much too quickly.

As far as how much you water, it really depends on your soil type and how
big the tree is. Soils that drain well will require more frequent watering.
Clay soils will require less frequent watering. If you planted a small
tree, say 5 gal or less, then you'll need to keep the tree watered on a
regular basis (daily or every other day) for 3 months or so. If you planted
a large tree, you may need to keep regular waterings up for a year or so.
The larger the tree, the longer it's going to take before the tree's root
system grows enough to support the tree with periodic rainfalls.

Here's a good method my grandfather taught me. Take a 5 gallon bucket and
punch a very small hole in the bottom. Place the bucket near the base of
the tree and fill the bucket up daily.

"BJ in Texas" wrote in message
...
Planted a Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana) this spring.
I know it will require watering for a while.

Any ideas on how often and how much? Of course the
amount of rain we get will also affect this.

Would deep watering with a hose attachment be better
than surface watering?

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:01:26 -0600, "RoyDMercer"
wrote:
You'll want to make sure the grass is cleared out to the drip line at least.
Grass will soak up a huge amount of water meant for the tree if you allow
grass to grow up to the trunk. For years I've always applied a thick layer
of mulch around all my trees. This year I've started using "fake" mulch
made out of old tires. It is sold as a 24" or 36" ring that you place
around the tree. Whatever solution you choose, this is a critical step
because otherwise water will evaporate at the surface much too quickly.
I agree, though I recommend wood chips or other organic mulch to
condition and feed the soil as well as retain moisture and moderate
temps.

As far as how much you water, it really depends on your soil type and how
big the tree is. Soils that drain well will require more frequent watering.
Clay soils will require less frequent watering. If you planted a small
tree, say 5 gal or less, then you'll need to keep the tree watered on a
regular basis (daily or every other day) for 3 months or so. If you planted
a large tree, you may need to keep regular waterings up for a year or so.
The larger the tree, the longer it's going to take before the tree's root
system grows enough to support the tree with periodic rainfalls.

Here's a good method my grandfather taught me. Take a 5 gallon bucket and
punch a very small hole in the bottom. Place the bucket near the base of
the tree and fill the bucket up daily.
I agree again, though I have a few fine points. One seminar I
attended recommended a gallon of water, twice a day for the first two
weeks or so. New transplants that have been container-grown will be
living in a loose potting mix. When you plop that into a clay hole,
the water soaks right through the root ball and into the surrounding
soil. Until the roots can make the transition into the native soil,
you have to really stay on top of this.

Sounds like we missed the boat on that one, though. Lucky for the OP,
we've had a lot of rain this spring. Don't know how long the tree has
been planted, but by now it's probably time to water less often, more
deeply (and over a wider area). I'd say twice a week for a couple of
weeks, then once a week till next year (bearing in mind this changes
depending on soil and weather). You need to make sure the tree's root
ball gets watered some, but you also need to start getting the native
soil wet to encourage roots to spread out. The only really good way
to know is to stick your finger in the soil and see how moist it is.
Make sure the tree gets some drying-out time between waterings--oaks
(and most trees) can't tolerate wet feet for long.

Eventually, in an ideal world, tree roots will extend outward 2-3
times the height of the tree. Watering at the base of the trunk only
will not have much effect on an established tree; you have to water
the whole lawn well so water gets below the grass.

good luck,
Keith Babberney
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