Watering

Please start watering your trees in the last week of March. One reason STfL’s tree success rate is higher than other local authorities is because of our tree watering scheme. It is vital that a newly planted street tree is given adequate attention over the first three years following planting.

This is where our Tree Waterers come in! If you are interested in becoming one please could we ask you to kindly fill in this volunteer form

Watering One! Two! Three!

1. Use 20 measured litres in one weekly hit March-October, three years minimum

2. In dry, hot or windy weather, increase to 2 to 3 times a week

3. In wet weather maintain routine as rain runs off pavements

Watering tips - for best practice

• Follow the '20 litres in one hit' routine (measure don’t guess!) to encourage vertical root growth from the start

• Please give a single watering of 20 litres as soon as the tree is planted to replace any water loss in transit

• Always water using the irrigation pipes provided, as well as watering the soil around the top of the root ball

• Remove wild vegetation that will compete for available water (additional planting around the tree should be avoided during the first two years)

• Involve neighbours and set up watering groups, even for one tree, but especially when more than one is involved. Flyers are available

• If possible, mulch to retain moisture - bark clippings, leaf mould or well-rotted horse manure (fresh manure will damage the tree)

• Expect email messages from us or from your street reps. If none appear, check spam folders and/or get in touch

• If your tree is an evergreen, then you must continue to water it with 20L once a month from November - February, discontinuing if there is a hard frost, and ensuring that you never: use hot water; use water containing any bleach; place any de-icing salts around the base of the tree