How to water in a tree after planting, get it established and long-term watering care.

1. When watering during the first season you plant, it is best to water less frequently BUT thoroughly than to water more frequently and in small amounts. Usually, with well-drained soil, 1-inch of water every 7-10 days should be sufficient; for a heavy soil, every 14 days. If you have questions on specific plant varieties and soil types, please call any time. After the first season, in most cases, water will not be needed unless you have drought conditions and in fall (see #3).
2. We recommend newly planted trees be wrapped with white protective tree wrap late in the fall to help protect against sun scald and rodent and rabbit damage during winter. Remove wrap in the spring. This practice should be continued every year until the bark begins to roughen. The wrap should extend from the ground up to the first tier of branches. Fiber reinforced tape works best to hold up the wrap.
3. It is very important all trees and shrubs go into winter with ample moisture. If there has been adequate rainfall during fall the amount of watering will be less. It is especially important that all evergreens are watered well late into the fall. You will want your landscape plants to get an inch of water a week in the fall. Measure with a rain gauge. If you don’t get an inch of rain a week, you will need to water. The best practice is to water a wide area with a sprinkler.