Whitfill Nursery’s
Watering Guide

First, we need to cover a few basics ------

#1   If the tree/plant is wet --- Don’t water it!

#2   There is a HUGE!!!! Difference between giving a tree/plant 10 gallons of water in 10 minutes versus giving the plant/tree 10 gallons of water over the course of 2 hours. 

 Example:  If you take a bucket of water - fill it up - and dump it out onto the ground, the water will soak in minimally and give you a pretty wide wet spot.  Now, if you take that same bucket of water - fill it up - and somehow rigged it to slowly drip out it’s contents over several hours, the water will soak in deeply and the wet spot won’t be quite as wide.  If you were to dig down in both instances, you would find that the wet spot from the first bucket would only be wet a couple of inches down in the ground.  The second bucket, that dripped the same amount of water - but over a long period of time - would be soaked 4-5 times deeper than the first bucket. 

#3  Rule of thumb - if the tree/plant is in a 5 gallon container, that tree/plant needs a minimum of 5 gallons of water when you water it.  A 24” box tree, needs at least 24 gallons of water.

#4  Don’t spray the leaves of trees/plants during the hot of the day --- this has the same effect as you putting baby oil all over your skin and going out into the sun ------ crispy, crispy, crispy.  Now, don’t get me wrong - trees/plants love the occasional wash down, with either the hose or with a nice water soluble fertilizer.  You just need to do it in the cool of the day - after the sun is off of the tree/plant, or in the early (super early in the summer) morning.  By washing off your plants on a regular basis, you help your trees/plants by removing the build up of dust and pollution that settle on their leaves, by frequently washing the leaves off, it makes photosynthesis and vitamin absorption a lot easier.

#5  Several times a year, turn your irrigation system on and walk your yard making sure that all your drips are working correctly.

#6  2-3 times a year, water twice as long as you normally do to flush salt and mineral build up from the roots of your trees/plants.  When an irrigation system waters the same amount ALL the time, the salt and minerals in the water keep settling at the same spot each time you water - which can cause leaf burn.  Soaking for twice as long will flush that layer away - down past the roots.  Lisa/2006

NEWLY PLANTED TREES: 

If you plant in warm/hot weather, water every day for the first week, then every second day for the second week, then once a week thereafter.  For example:  15 gallon - 2-4 hours, 24” box - 4-6 hours, 36” box - 6-8 hours.  If it is 100 degree weather you may have to water two times per week for the first summer.  Once a week in the fall, then every two weeks in the winter.  Cottonwoods, Sycamore, Bamboo, & Sissoo, all love water and require more than other trees.  It is much better to turn on a hose with a slow drip over night and forget it, than to water every day for only 10 minutes - 10 minutes will not get your water to the roots.

GENERAL:

TREES PLANTED IN GRASS AREA:  Water frequency should be reduced.  Water every ten days to two weeks rather than every seven days.  Deep water your tree!  Do not rely on your lawn sprinklers to water your trees - trees need hours of slow drip to reach the roots.

SHADE TREES:  (Ash, Ficus, Elm, Oak, Brazilian Pepper, Flowering Pepper)  Need to be deep watered according to their container size.  You need to get water to the roots.  You should not water a tree for less than 2 hours at a time (slowly!).  As the tree gets older, increase the length of time that you water but not the frequency.  If flood irrigating, Ficus must be watered on weeks in between irrigation.  *Ficus Nitida can take even longer watering at a time, especially in the spring and summer during their growing season. (Ficus are frost sensitive).

PURPLE LEAF PLUM:  Plant in early spring or fall, not in the heat of summer.  Planting during the winter is fine.  Plenty of water (deeply) when transplanting especially if it’s warmer weather.  Water every 4 days in summer, once a week in spring & fall and every two weeks in winter.  Cut off during rainy season.  If your tree is in grass skip one watering - example, instead of every week go every 2 weeks.

COTTONWOOD & SISSOO TREES:  Water loving trees with evasive roots.  As tree matures overnight waterings are needed to keep the roots growing down rather than surfacing.  For first season, excluding winter months, water once a week according to plant size.

JACARANDA, TIPU, HONG KONG ORCHID, AUSTRALIAN BOTTLE:  Water these trees once a week in the summer, every two weeks in the spring & fall, and once a month in the winter.  Do not plant these trees in a low drainage area.  It is important not to over water these trees.  Let them dry out between watering.

NATIVE/DESERT TREES:  (Mesquite, Palo Brea, Palo Verde, Ironwood, Acacia, African Sumac) Water every other day for the first week, twice a week for the second week, then to once a week through he first summer month, then every 2 weeks, once a month in the spring and fall.  No water is needed in the winter.  After approximately two years of proper watering, water once a month.

CITRUS TREES:  Water every other day for the first two weeks (temp 90+) Water every two weeks in the spring & fall.  Water once a week in the summer & once a month in the winter.  Citrus must dry out in between watering unless newly planted.  Citrus can be fed once a month from February to September for maximum growth.  Once established, 4 times a year.  They must be fed to produce and grow properly.  Not watering enough will result in browning or burning of the leaves by the salts and minerals in the soil.  Deep watering flushes the salt away and ensures proper fruit production and health.  Trunks must be wrapped or painted to protect against sunburn, until the canopy is large enough to shade the trunk.  Do not water for 2-4 weeks while in bloom or you will loose all the blooms.

HARD FRUIT TREES: (Apple, Peach, Pear, etc)  Plant only in Spring & Fall.  Water once a week in the summer, every 2 weeks in the spring and fall.  Once a month in the winter.  Deep water according to size.

PINE TREES:  Do not water during winter - unless you fertilize, or newly planted.  Water once a month, deep long overnight soaks in the spring and fall.  Water every two weeks in summer, again - long overnight soaks.

QUEEN PALMS:  It is difficult to over water a queen palm.  Like trees, they also need the deep watering.  In order to have beautiful green palms, it takes the right amount of watering and fertilizer.  Do not feed your palm with any fertilizer for the first three months after planting.  Only use Superthrive or B-1.  After the palm has been in the ground for three months, you need to fertilize at least 4 times a year, with a good palm food.  Citrus food is also a wonderful fertilizer for your palm.  In addition, Queen palms crave Manganese Sulfate.  Always remember to feed only on a day that you are going to water.  Most all palms do most of their growing in the spring and summer.  Water according to desired growth.  When newly planted, you should be watering every other day for the first 2 weeks.  After 2 weeks, you can water Queen palms 2 times a week.

PYGMY DATE PALMS:  For a small 3 gallon Pygmy palm, 1-2 hours and increase the hours by the size of the root ball.  These palms love water and must get water below their roots in order to stay lush and green.  Do not feed your Pygmy with any fertilizer for the first three months after planting.  Only use Superthrive or B-1.  After the Pygmy palm has been in the ground for three months you may fertilize as needed.  Recommended fertilizer is Citrus food.

MEXICAN FAN, MEDITERRANEAN FAN PALM, CANARY, BISMARCKIA AND TRIANGLE PALMS:  These palms do not require much water.  To establish at planting time, water palms every other day for the first 2 weeks, after established, water depending on what size, at a slow drip every 7-14 days.  Increase length of time but not frequency with age.  Note:  Bismarckia & Triangle palms are frost tender, so cover in winter months.  Mexican Fan palms should stay tied up for 3-6 months or until green fronds are bulging out and trying to break the tie - this is a sign that they are well rooted and growing.  Do not cut open tie prior, or your palm will die.  After established, you can water Mexican Fan palms one a month.

SHRUBS & GROUNDCOVERS:  These plants should be on a separate drip line from trees.  Shrubs need to be watered every day (maybe twice daily in 100 degree + weather)  for the first two weeks.  Then every other day or every third day - on a slow drip! Potted plants dry out twice as fast as plants planted in the ground.  Water two times a day in summer unless it’s in a very large concrete pot - then once a day should do.

HELPFUL HINTS:

1.  Do not fertilize when planting!!!  Vitamin B-1 or Superthrive is recommended - only.

2.  Use a good composted mulch in the top 3-4 inches of native soil - this will aide in keeping the roots cool & provide some natural amendments to the native soil.

3.  Only fertilize on a day you are going to water. 

4.  Do not trim frost sensitive plants later than October - for example, Ficus.  Do not trim during the hot summer months - this will just burn the previously protected undergrowth.

5.  For most trees, staking is highly recommended.  After 6-12 months of proper watering, trees should be stable enough to remove stakes.  Never stake citrus, hard fruit or multi-trunk trees. 

6.  Ocotillo should only be watered at the root when planted, only water the canes thereafter - like it’s raining.

7.  Wrap trunks on Shamel Ash, Ficus & Citrus to protect against sunburn - you can stop wrapping the trunks once the tree canopy naturally shades the trunk.

8.  Using your weed eater around trunks can cause girdling, protect trucks with plastic to avoid damage.