How Much To Water Fruit Trees?

[SwampCat]

Water when you can. I put a bucket outside and let it fill with rain. IF the bucket is empty for 3 days, I water. After mid august I water less often if at all. I helped the tree survive the first bulk of the summer.

I dig deep when I plant my trees. I ammend with peat moss and some lighter potting soil for my heavy clay soil at home. At camp, its sandy soil. I bring clay soil from home and heavier raised bed soil from the sotre. Mulch plenty too. Atleast a bag per tree. I also collect leaf mulch and concentrate it around the tree.

I water about 7-8 gallons a tree. I have 5 gallon water jugs with a 14" hole drilled in the bottom. They take about 10 minutes to drain out Might be a touch too fast, but I think the water goes deeper this way. The other half of the water I spray around the drip line. I spread around 2 gallons, then fill the bucket, the spray another gallon or two around the drip line, then top off the slow drip bucket.

I also put a small dam of soil around the tree, maybe a 2-3ft diameter circle. You can flood the spot without it running off too far.

Trees at camp get watered if they need them when I am there. They've been doing ok. No dead ones. All anty roots.

Another good thing to do is take a metal rod and push holes in the soil deeper. Fedco trees suggested it, I have tried it at my house.

Another thing you can do is plant the tree is some shade. If you got some shrubs or trees you need to clear at an edge of a field, leave it up there for a year while theapple treesgets some roots. You can also use a tree cage and put something on the top of it to shade it a bit too. I do that with freshly grafted trees. Also, keep birds away too.

I was watering 15 gals per tree once a week last year and lost several trees. If I started spraying water around each individual tree, my wife would poison every one of them. She hates them. She uses a fishing analagy - says its likes spending a bunch of money on fishing equipment and go fishing twice a week - and NEVER catch one - and then go buy a bunch more equipment and fish more and never catch one - and on and on. I have never raised a fruit to ripeness on one of my trees yet. Some of the trees are ten years old.

So far, I havent lost one at 30 gal per week, whereas I did last year at 15 gal. Also lost two 10 yr old dunstan chestnuts at five gal per week. 50 trees at 30 gal per tree, four times a month is 6000 gal. Nothing cheap or easy here with fruit trees

 

[TonySoprano]

After planting I give each tree 4-5 gallons of water once a week when there is no rain. I usually do this the first two years April through Sept. If it's extremely hot , upper 90's I may water twice a week. I've never lost a tree due to not having enough water, but I'm no expert. Some say too little water promotes shallow roots....so can't guarantee if 4-5 gallons is enough , but I'd assume it's better than nothing .

 

[homerj]

Haha - my grass been dead for two weeks. Been under a burn ban for three weeks. This is almost every year.

Sounds like a great place to not grow fruit trees ;)

 

[SwampCat]

Sounds like a great place to not grow fruit trees ;)

It is.

 

[homerj]

It is.

Anyway to set up a permanent drip irrigation system on a timer?

 

[SwampCat]

Anyway to set up a permanent drip irrigation system on a timer?

I could probably do something like that. I think it has to be more than a drip to provide enough water

 

[homerj]

I could probably do something like that. I think it has to be more than a drip to provide enough water

Multiple drips circling the drip line of the trunk should get it done. Commercial nurseries in arid climates (AZ, CA, etc.) use such systems.

Lots of info out there on drip irrigation systems for orchards, one example

How to Irrigate an Orchard

Growing an orchard for yourself or a small commercial operation can be an excellent investment in perennial agriculture. Producing for years, fruit and nut trees can provide an abundance of food, drinks, ferments, and preserves. One of the best ways to keep yields high is to ensure your trees...

www.dripworks.com

 

[SwampCat]

Multiple drips circling the drip line of the trunk should get it done. Commercial nurseries in arid climates (AZ, CA, etc.) use such systems.

Lots of info out there on drip irrigation systems for orchards, one example

How to Irrigate an Orchard

Growing an orchard for yourself or a small commercial operation can be an excellent investment in perennial agriculture. Producing for years, fruit and nut trees can provide an abundance of food, drinks, ferments, and preserves. One of the best ways to keep yields high is to ensure your trees...

www.dripworks.com

That might work, but not going to invest anymore money in fishing equipment to catch no fish - as my wife would say

Only four more weeks to go and temps should drop down to the low 90’s

 

[TreeDaddy]

Sounds like a great place to not grow fruit trees ;)

yeah, well we can grow goatweed,fireants, and feral hogs , Mr Homerj

bill

 

[Mattyq2402]

I’m in extreme drought in SE Ohio, my properties lie in the darkest shade of drought on the monitor that there is. One decent rain of a quarter inch since June 20. My new blue hill pears (12) have been watered weekly and often bi weekly with 5 gallons and the last two weeks the leaves have all gone black. I’m so done with the drought, last four years have been terrible! Those looking to buy property in eastern Athens Co think twice, there’s definitely been a pattern. I get so much more rain here in southern Az desert that on the farms, it’s crazy, end of rant….. hoping they can hold on but not high hopes…

 

[SwampCat]

I’m in extreme drought in SE Ohio, my properties lie in the darkest shade of drought on the monitor that there is. One decent rain of a quarter inch since June 20. My new blue hill pears (12) have been watered weekly and often bi weekly with 5 gallons and the last two weeks the leaves have all gone black. I’m so done with the drought, last four years have been terrible! Those looking to buy property in eastern Athens Co think twice, there’s definitely been a pattern. I get so much more rain here in southern Az desert that on the farms, it’s crazy, end of rant….. hoping they can hold on but not high hopes…

I deal with that almost every summer. Burn ban usually august and september. I am like you, I would not suggest anyone buying recreational property in sw AR

 

[bigboreblr]

What do you guys think about this time of year. 10 day outlook has no rain, decent weather 70's a few days in the 80's. Lows from the mid 50's to low 60's. Last week was so-so for rain. Rained abotu a 1/4 inch yesterday here in NY.

 

[SwampCat]

I am still watering every week. No appreciable rain in sight. 1500 gallons a week adds to the water bills. This isnt an off year for here - actually been a little cooler than normal. I lost trees last year even with watering. I doubt I would have any of my 50 fruit trees still alive without watering

 

[TonySoprano]

If there is no rain I water my trees once a week until early Oct. Then they are own their own , until next spring.

 

[SwampCat]

If there is no rain I water my trees once a week until early Oct. Then they are own their own , until next spring.

That is pretty much what I do. Temps are cooling and I feel like any moisture lasts longer if it is not 95 to 105 degrees