Guide to Watering Newly Planted Trees, Shrubs & Hedging
Proper watering is crucial for all new plants while they are establishing.
- Most new plants that fail are due to underwatering.
- They need moist soil to grow strong new roots: dry soil will kill new plants, or cause them to grow very poorly.
- In most garden soils, it is difficult in practice to overwater new plants, but still you want moist soil, not constantly wet.
- June, July, August are the three months to be ready for, try to water your plants ahead of hot dry weather.
Watering New Plants
Water all new plants deeply and regularly during their first growing season. This includes plants that are drought tolerant: they all need you to water them in Year One.
- Deciduous Trees & Hedging:
- Water when initially planted bareroot in Winter, then not until spring bud burst if the weather is dry; dry Spring weather is not common in the UK.
- Evergreen Plants:
- May need occasional winter watering during dry, warm weather above 7C, especially plants against walls & fences that are protected from rain.
- All New Trees & Shrubs:
- Continue watering for the first two summers, especially June-August.
- In Year Two, you might only water two or three times all Summer during the driest spells.
- Container Plants & Pot-Grown Plants:
- It is vital to soak the rootball every few days in summer: direct the water next to the stem, water slowly, and return to the plant several times over the course of a couple of hours if the rootball is dry.
Best Time of Day to Water
- Morning is ideal: Gives plants water when they most need it, at the start of the day. Sunlight dries off the soil and foliage sooner, reducing pests.
- Evening is also fine: However, it leaves the area damp all night which may encourage pests & disease.
- Avoid watering in the midday heat to reduce water loss through evaporation.
Watering Frequency and Amount
Frequency varies depending on soil drainage, size of container, and weather conditions.
During hot, dry Summer weather, you usually need to soak your soil every:
- 2-3 days: For dry, chalky or sandy soil
- 4-5 days: For normal garden topsoil
- 6-8 days: For clay soils that hold water well, or are in the shade, or mulched well
Watering Methods
- Garden Hose: Move the hose around the bases of new plants, set to a trickle so that water seeps into the soil.
- Watering cans: Watering cans are good for tracking how much water each plant gets. About 20 litres (two cans) every other day is plenty for new trees or metre of hedging in dry midsummer.
- Leaky Pipe & Timer: The easiest way to water hedges or rows of trees.
- Sprinklers: Suitable for lawns nearby, but avoid wetting foliage too much to reduce disease risks.
How to Water Effectively
Water deeply to encourage deep root growth. Soak the soil around the plant, wait for a while, and water again to ensure moisture reaches 15-30 cm underground where roots grow.
- Avoid keeping the soil constantly wet by watering it thoroughly but less frequently.
- Check soil moisture by digging 5 cm down: if the soil is dry at that depth, water again.
Extra help preserving soil moisture:
- Pile up soil in a low ring around plants to trap water in a puddle for better absorption, especially on clay soils.
- Use mulch to trap moisture and reduce weed competition, which will lower watering frequency.
Signs of Inadequate Watering
- Poor growth: Foliage is small or drooping, flowers or fruit form poorly and fall off early.
- Dull or discoloured leaves: New leaves and stems lose their healthy glow, appearing either faded or darker.
- Wilting: Plants may wilt in very hot weather, even if they have enough water. This is usually due to underwatering, but overwatered plants in pots or heavy soils may also wilt.
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Lorem ipsum
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Pellentesque sit amet sapien fringilla, mattis ligula consectetur, ultrices mauris. Maecenas vitae mattis tellus.
Lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut et massa mi. Aliquam in hendrerit urna.
Pellentesque sit amet sapien fringilla, mattis ligula consectetur, ultrices mauris. Maecenas vitae mattis tellus.
Lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut et massa mi. Aliquam in hendrerit urna.
Pellentesque sit amet sapien fringilla, mattis ligula consectetur, ultrices mauris. Maecenas vitae mattis tellus.
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