Young Tree Maintenance
Tree Watering Alert!
Update: 15th June 2023
We have now had 4 weeks with only one tiny sprinkle of rain.
Young highway tree watering should be 50 litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).
The Arboricultural Association has teamed up with the Woodland Trust to highlight the need to care for young trees, and street trees in particular, to ensure they survive and grow to become our tree assets of the future. The Trust's Press Release of 13th June 2023, with relevant links, can be found here.
Do let us know, if you are watering, or could water, a young tree near you.
Background (3rd May 2023)
Rainfall this year has generally been above average, except February which was particularly dry. Soil moisture deficits at the end of March were recorded as low, meaning soils are near to field capacity (which is good). May is forecast for a mixed spell of weather, all of which indicates a good growing season for trees so far!
Trees planted last season should now be flushing leaves and some will have had good displays of blossom. Most of the energy needed for this will have been taken from what was already stored in the tree. The trees now need lots of water to replenish that stored energy to grow well and not struggle. The larger transplanted trees in verges, recreation areas, parks, etc need watering because they have a much smaller root mass than natural for the size of tree and these roots won't yet have had chance to grow to access deeper soils that normally retain higher levels of water.
Tree Watering - Volunteer
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Other Young Tree Maintenance
Early-years care after planting maximises the chance that a young tree will thrive.
Trees planted through West Sussex County County (WSCC) as part of its donate-a-tree scheme are container grown ‘extra heavy standard’ (approximately 2-3 meters tall). They are planted with an irrigation tube, staked (occasionally caged, where location may present a higher risk of vandalism), mulched and fitted with a strimmer guard.
- The irrigation tube is a leaky pipe that enables watering to reach the tree's roots deeper into the soil, encouraging roots to grow down.
- Stakes and ties prevent the tree's root ball from rocking, allowing it to take up water and nutrients and new roots to grow securely into the surrounding soil to anchor the tree well. Above ground, the tree is allowed to flex, so it can grow to suit prevailing wind conditions. Ties should not rub.
- The mulched area helps the soil retain water, discourages competition for water and nutrients from grass/wildflowers, helps protect the tree from mowing damage, and enriches the soil with nutrients the tree can use.
- The strimmer guard reduces the risk of accidental damage to the tree's trunk. Just beneath the tree's bark are the cells which transport water and nutrients around the tree - if they're damaged, the tree's growth can be stunted, its life shortened, and the wound become an entry point for disease/decay.
WSCC's young tree maintenance team will visit all new trees in the summer after planting. They will check ties, stakes and strimmer guard; top up mulch; formative prune; and remove if dead. This will be carried out once a year for 3 years, by which time the tree should have established and the supports able to be removed. Our WSCC Arboriculturist intends to inspect all newly planted trees after 5 years to check on their welfare and any further work required.
Please report any damage/concerns to the West Sussex County Council highways team. Reporting is easy online. That page also includes an emergency 'phone number, if needed. (The reporting system changed April 2023 and we are less familiar with the current system, but if you sign up for an account and to receive notifications, you should be able to see how your report has been progressed.) Your local volunteer Tree Wardens would also love to hear from you - please get in touch.
Previous Tree Watering Alerts:
7th June 2023
After a promising start to this year, we have had 3 weeks with no rain.
Young highway tree watering should be 30+ litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).
(This will need to increase to twice a week, if summer brings drought.)
3rd May 2023
Young highway tree watering should be 15-30 litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).
(This will need to increase to twice a week, if summer brings drought.)
4th May 2022
We have had a VERY DRY March and April. Young highway tree watering should be 50+litres a week now.
Do let us know, if you are watering, or could water, a young tree near you.