Young trees need 10-20 gallons of water each week for 2-3 summers after planting to help their roots grow and establish. In dry spells, even old trees need some extra help! Filling a 5-gallon bucket and pouring it into the root ball is great, but may take a while if you have clay soil, or the water may drain too quickly if your soil is sandy. Using a watering bag is a great option because you can zip it up around the tree and simply fill the bag once a week.
However, watering bags can be expensive, and even with great care, they can break down after just one or two summers. They also don’t fit around larger trees. But if you have a clean 5-gallon bucket and a 1/16” drill, you can make your own slow-release watering system!
Step 1 – Use a 1/16” drill to create a small hole in the bottom of your 5-gallon bucket. Putting the hole off-center can help you get the water closer to the trunk of a young tree, and can also help you drain the last few drops of water.
Step 2 – Place the bucket under your tree (close to the trunk if young, and along the drip line if mature).
(Image above shows the drip line)
Step 3 – Fill the bucket with water and wait for it to release over a few hours. If you don’t have a lid to place on it, we recommend bending a piece of wire (like an old coat hanger) over the lip of the bucket so that any critters that fall in can have an escape route.
Step 4 – If you are using only one bucket, refill it as many times as you need to reach the desired gallon amount for your tree
Pro tip: The best time to water your trees is first thing in the morning when the trees are actively transpiring. In the hot afternoon hours, trees often stop drawing up water in order to reduce water loss inside the tree.
