Tree Watering Guide
Watering is a necessary maintenance procedure to keep urban trees alive, especially when they’re young. Read through the following information to learn more about the best watering practices.
When to water
​Trees should be watered from spring to fall for the first 3 years. Young trees need a little extra help getting the water they need. For the first three years, make sure to water your trees at the start of spring through the end of fall. ​
How often
Each tree needs 15 gallons of water every week it does not rain more than an inch. Each water gator holds 20 gallons of water. Fill your water gator every 5-7 days for the best watering schedule. If you do not have a water gator, fill up a 5-gallon bucket 3 times to water your tree.
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Variation depending on weather. The amount of times you water will depend on rainfall. The soil should be moist but not soaked. Pay special attention to your trees when temperatures reach above 85 F - your trees might need some extra water during these heat waves.​
What you need
All you need is water, a hose, and a good schedule.
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If you participated in a tree planting with Canopy, then your newly planted trees will all have water gators. These gators slowly release water into the ground so the roots can absorb it over time. This promotes deep root growth and reduces drought stress.
Please watch this video to learn more about how to fill a tree gator.​
Who is in charge of watering your trees?
The partner organization or neighborhood is responsible for watering the trees. After the trees are planted, your neighborhood/community can determine when you want to water your trees. Once you select a date, you can help remind each other to water the newly planted trees. Feel free to create an email thread or group chat!
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If you have any questions or would like some help in organizing a watering system, please let Canopy know! We recommend picking a weekday this or next week and following that for the rest of the summer and fall for easy remembering.