Water trees in summer

Water is life. With enough water, trees can photosynthesize, thrive, defend themselves against diseases and pests, and repair themselves. If there is one thing we should do really well with trees that have already been planted, it is watering. There are different challenges for every season. Here you will find the most important knowledge for the summer.

Summer: the highlight of the growing year

In summer, the trees receive the most sunlight and can therefore carry out a lot of photosynthesis. Through photosynthesis they can make sugar molecules and then use them for fruiting, growth and repair. It is also the time when the trees create reserves and store sugar for the darker seasons.
However, trees can only carry out photosynthesis if they have enough water available. If they lack water, they have to close their stomata (small openings on the leaves) and thereby stop photosynthesis. When there is a lack of water, trees cannot produce the sugar they need for growth and survival.
In addition, many other important chemical processes can only take place with water. If there is a lack of water, trees have difficulty defending themselves against pests and diseases, for example. And because the trees evaporate a lot of water in summer, the risk of drought stress is particularly high here. Watering trees is therefore very important, especially in summer.

How do I water correctly in summer?

In dry and hot summer weeks, all trees probably appreciate additional watering. Do you have a tree that you would like to harvest fruit or nuts from? Then it's worth making sure that the tree has enough water, especially now in summer.
Young trees that were planted in the last 5 years in particular rely on additional watering in summer. Their root system is not yet developed enough to access the deeper layers of the earthßen. Young and newly planted trees are therefore much more susceptible to drought damage.

Therefore, make sure that these young trees get enough water, especially in summer. If it is dry for a long time, you can give 1 - 2 liters of water 150-200 times a week.
You can also water trees under three years old 3-4 times a week in dry conditions. Also make sure that you don't give the tree water too often. Many trees cannot tolerate waterlogging.

The right amount of water and a tree-friendly method are important for proper watering in summer.

The right amount of water

The water requirements of trees vary greatly depending on the tree species, age and location. The following rule of thumb is helpful:

During the growth phase, an average tree needs around two waterings, each with 150 to 200 liters of water per week. If it is very dry and hot, you can further increase the amount of water per watering. This makes more sense than watering another day.

Here's another rule of thumb: the higher the temperatures, the greater the need for water.

Which casting method is best?

In summer the soil can become really hard when it is dry. If you then give a lot of water in one go, the dry and hard soil can hardly absorb any water. Especially in summer, it is very important that the water can seep into the ground very slowly, preferably drop by drop. It is therefore important that the water seeps into the earth as slowly as possible so that it can actually be absorbed by the soil. This is difficult with a quantity of 150 to 200 liters per watering session with the watering can.

A very effective tool for this are tree watering bags, which slowly release water using drip irrigation. They can be installed without much effort and can be filled with a garden hose in just a few minutes. They then release the water drop by drop into the ground over a period of 6-9 hours. This means there is no runoff and no rapid seepage through the root area.

The right time of day to water trees

In summer, it is important that you water the trees either early in the morning or late in the evening. Then the trees have the best chance of absorbing as much water as possible before it evaporates. If you use tree watering bags, the correct time of day is far less important because the bags minimize evaporation. However, we recommend filling the trees with watering bags in the morning or evening.

Watch for signs of drought stress

The typical signs of drought stress in summer are:

• Dried, drooping, curled, or folded leaves
• leaf wagging or trembling
• shedding of leaves
• shedding of branches
• Formation of excessively large and small fruits.

We should support our trees with watering at the latest when these signs appear. Here is a text on the topic drought stress in trees.

mulching

Mulch is one of the best things you can do for your trees. Mulch protects the soil from drying out and helps retain moisture. Ideally, you have already provided the tree with a good layer of mulch in spring.

Here is a more detailed text on the subject Water trees.

And here you can find information about the other months:
Water trees in spring, Watering trees in autumn, Watering trees in winter.