On Tue, 2 May 2006 09:52:39 -0700, "Richard Miller"
wrote:

I am going to plant about 30 5-gal trees which means their small. Maybe 5
foot tall and only about an inch in diameter. Anyway I don't want to put a
well around them so would I go with a 1/2" drip line which are standards for
a drip system and 1/2" soaker hose which I would cut in 6 foot sections and
rap it around each tree which would give me about a 2 foot diameter. (Is
that too big?) I would plant it about 2 or 3 inches under the ground or lawn
and hook them together like you would a regular drip system. Am I on the
right track?

Thanks
Richard

You really need to consider a lot of factors you are neglecting.

First, do not skimp on mulching. Mulch will help retain moisture so
the trees will not dry out so fast in hot weather. It will decay into
the soil, feeding the ecosystem and reducing compaction. And it will
keep weeds and grass away from the tree trunks, reducing competition
and eliminating the temptation to hit the trunks with a weedeater.

Getting new trees established will require different watering
parameters than the established trees will. The container soil will
probably drain much better than the native soil, so the original root
balls will tend to dry out before the soil that won't contain any
roots (yet). At the beginning, short bursts of water once or twice a
day will go a long way toward transplant success. This would begin to
taper off after a week or so, while the range of the irrigation should
expand. Without creating a swamp, you want to get the surrounding
soil moist so it will be habitable to the new roots. You really need
to get down into the soil with a finger to see how deep the water is
penetrating; make sure deep soil gets moist, but don't water if soil
is still wet from last time.

Eventually, after the trees are established, you will probably need to
encompass a much wider range than you are considering. I can't make
specific recommendations without knowing more about the site and
species, but a tree's root system typically exists in a wide, flat mat
spreading 2-3 times the tree's height and mostly staying in the top
12-24 inches of soil. Deeper roots will exist, but they will be
mainly anchors; the feeder roots are close to the surface. For a
large tree, a soaker hose around the trunk will have very little
effect. You need to water the whole yard deeply and infrequently (an
inch a week is commonly suggested).

you didn't ask for planting tips, but here's one anyway. Most
container-grown trees are planted too deeply. The nursery tends to
add soil when repotting, then the consumer plants even deeper. This
causes trees to suffer and perform poorly. It is absolutely critical
that the primary trunk flares are exposed to open air. When planting,
make sure to locate these flares and remove any excess soil to expose
them. Then plant the root ball a little higher than grade. There may
be settling after transplant that would lead to an at-grade planting
being too deep later on. Even if this does not happen, studies show
that too high is better than too low, and at least as good (often
better) than at grade. When you add the mulch, you still need to
maintain that exposed crown. A thick mat of mulch should cover the
area around the trunk, but no mulch should be piled against the base
of the tree--one more reason to plant high.

good luck,

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-0236AT