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?