I learned the other day from our local arborist that mature pine and oak trees need to watered. I had always assumed that if we had received adequate rainfall or snow, that their roots went deep enough into the ground to keep them healthy.
I asked him if a once a week watering schedule was sufficient. "No, they need to be watered every other day," he answered. Wow! I had no idea. I had noticed that the trees near my new woodland garden had been looking much healthier, happier and greener. I thought it was the compost and mulch that I had applied. The growth is now very vigorous on the oak leaves. I soak that area every couple of days. It makes sense.
The large trees near the lake look exceptionally beautiful; same with those close to the beach in Ventura. The dryness and lack of water makes in other locations them brittle, stressed and susceptible to disease and beetles.
So, I have a new hobby, forest bathing. That's what the Japanese call spending time in the woods. For now I am irrigating all of the trees on my land by hand. Once I got into the new routine, my whole yard filled up with birds, butterflies and a sense of busy life. The trees immediately responded. I could feel their relief and gratitude.
Do you water your trees?
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In theory, when there is enough water, pine forests create their own micro climate so that the water they transpirate will condense and get absorbed through the roots. But, that doesn't really work in arid areas such as ours where the trees are in a more built up setting. I have only two non-food producing trees in my yard - one pine tree in the back and one eucalyptus in the front. Both are what I planted as seedlings. I water them, both, when I water the other plants and fruit trees. A couple of times a week during the winter (or once a week if it rains a lot); every other day in the summer. Mulching definitely helps as it enables the soil to retain the moisture.
ReplyDeleteIt's the oaks we are concerned about, Bless. If they are well watered, they should be strong enough to stay healthy, and not be susceptible to the oak borer. I have mulch. It makes a huge difference.
DeleteI guess it makes sense if you live in a dry area. Do you pay a set price for water or do you pay for what you use? I love the idea of forest bathing. It sounds really invigorating
ReplyDeleteIt has gotten dryer over time, Cherie. Yes, we pay for our water use, but it's just during the hot weather that they need to be watered.
DeleteI saw something about Japanese and forests on PBS once. I love the woods. But nature will have to water my trees. Andrea
ReplyDeleteI love the woods, too. The trees seems so grateful since I started watering them. The birds and butterflies look happy, too.
DeleteSo lovely to see nature respond. I know our trees need to be supported over a long dry summer.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, emw. I love seeing nature respond, too. The woodpeckers fly overhead all the time. They are so beautiful.
DeleteOh, your lake looks divine! Is that you, Stephenie? I love the mask and swimsuit combo.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fantastic place, Pipistrello. Yes, that's me in the mask. haha. My uniform.
DeleteI always assumed that mature trees look after themselves but we are now thinking that the apple trees in the allotment shed a lot of early fruit due to stress from lack of water. At some point we are going to try sinking a pipe into the soil beside each tree so that we can easily get more water down to the roots.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your forest bathing Stephenie!
Some of my neighbors do that here, PP. I bet the apple trees would appreciate more water.
DeleteHappy Weekend, Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteSounds as though you are developing a happy forest! Good for both you and the trees. :-)
Growing almost anything in the low desert is a very different experience! Intelligent people (anyone?) will Xeriscape, for the most part Climate-adapted plants require far less water and maintenance than determinedly planting things from "home". Desert Xeriscape includes a lot more than cacti and succulents. The plants tend to require more TLC the first year or two, but adapt over time. Except this summer. We are experiencing a "Nonsoon" with almost no rain. It's the driest I've seen it here since the mid 1970s, when we first considered moving here. Of course, two or three years of drought were followed by three years of almost double the average rainfall!
Plants in general and trees in particular are watered a bit differently here. Ideally, nearly everything is deep-watered with longer periods between each watering session. Flood irrigation, drip irrigation, soaker hoses and retention Wells are good options. Trees need to be watered to the edge of the canopy for best results. Soaker hoses work really well, even with drip irrigation, as they can follow the growth of the tree without digging up your landscape every three years or so! :-)
By the way, you can grow most of same fruits and vegetables as elsewhere. Seasonal dates are different, soil requires serious amendment, stone fruit tree varieties are limited to less than 300 chill hours, site location can be critical, and deep, less frequent watering is essential. Realistically, some plants just can't survive here, despite all the TLC in the world!
You're doing a great job with all of the plants and trees in your care. I really appreciate the time you take to learn about the needs of everything in two different environments. :-)
...Taja
These trees are native to the area, Taja. They just need water now due to the oak borer, which can decimate the gorgeous old oaks quickly. Giving them extra water will make them stronger and more resilient. The pines and cypress were looking a bit brown, so watering them has made a huge difference. I notice what does well in other people's gardens, and plant those plants.
DeleteI water my trees but probably not near enough. Thank you for the reminder. Stay well.
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Mereknits. I see such a difference in my forest since I started giving them some more water. I just wasn't aware.
DeleteSadly, I no longer have a graden nor trees. I so miss it. The sound of the trees rustling, the peacefulness, butterflies, bees. Such balm for our whole being. And so rewarding, growing plants. Such a joy for you.
ReplyDeleteIt is, srs. It takes a lot of time and work, but is so worth it. I am excited to have flowers growing at this time of year. In Canyon Country, Sept. and Oct. are just too hot.
DeleteI had no idea, although with no shortage of rain here, it's not something I need to consider where I live. X
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful that you have so much rain, Jules. It makes all the difference. We had an excellent amount of snow last year. I hope we get it again this year.
DeleteI have a dear friend who has a Japanese mother. They introduced me to the concept of shinrin yoku many years ago. It is truly a wonderful experience. Hikers in the woods with earbuds and their eyes glued to the ground miss out on so much healing energy. No trees in our tiny yard, but it makes sense that they need deliberate deep watering to stay healthy. I hope you are able to stay cool in this awful heat wave.
ReplyDeleteHi Anita, All is well. Swimming in the lake keeps me cool and comfortable. I worked in Japan, and was very impressed with their gardens and how clean and organized they were. The energy was amazing!
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