Why you should care.

One of the biggest reasons why trees fail during the summer monsoon season is due to shallow watering? Correctly watering your tree encourages a stronger root system. Last summer, Tree Pros received well over one hundred requests for fallen tree removal so we want to help you understand how to better care for your trees.

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Improper Emitter Placement

One common misconception is that emitters should be placed at the base of the tree trunk. Doing this not only discourages extensive root growth, it can contribute to circling roots and even trunk rot. Our Certified Arborists frequently see this setup at the home of many valley residents. This watering practice is probably the worst thing you could do for your tree aside from not watering at all.

Watering with Sprinklers

Relying on your sprinkler system to water your trees might seem like a great idea. However, grass roots are very short and require quick and shallow watering. Likewise, this type of watering encourages shallow root growth for your trees, contributes to soil compaction, and reduces the amount of accessible oxygen and deep water available to your tree. Your trees' strongest roots can grow at a depth of several feet but if they are unable to locate water and oxygen, their tendency is to stay close to the surface.

Proper Emitter Placement

The number of emitters required to properly water your tree will depend on the size. Emitter placement will need to be adjusted as a tree grows. Emitters should be placed below the tree canopy, simulating natural rainfall and encouraging broad root growth. We recommend adjusting your watering schedule multiple times during the year, as the seasons change, using 2-gallon per hour drip emitters. These emitters water low and slow, penetrating our highly compacted soil overtime and deeply saturating the soil to promote stronger roots.

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