A neighbor has an orange bucket next to a tree he planted 2 years ago. I had wondered about that. Then today, I remembered a watering trick from a gardening magazine. Its funny how the brain can dredge up old information.
The idea was to slowly drip water from a small hole in the bucket onto the roots of a tree so it wouldn't run off. AHA! I have a few 5 gallon buckets around for various uses. So I took a green one (blends better into the background), drilled a very small hole into the bottom and set it next to the Sourwood tree I an trying to bring back to growth.
I love the Sourwood Tree. It has red and gold seeds and leaves in Fall. I planted 3 when I first moved here. 1 remains and it is only 3 feet high. I don't water the front yard as well as the back. Well, I live in the back and don't care about the front much (I'm changing that).
So I placed the 5 gallon bucket just uhill from the tree, filled it up with a hose, and watched what happened. It took 2 HOURS for the water to drip out the tiny hole. RThat means every drop went down into the root zone.
I LOVE this idea and will use the bucket all around the front yard plants. The advantage is that the bucket has a 5 gallons of water, but no more. I used to leave a hose dripping water out very slowly but I never knew how much it was getting (and forget it was going overnight sometimes.) THIS way, its 5 gallons and no need to remember it later.
What a great idea!
1 comment:
Oxydendrum is one of The Sheogerd's (who makes a living as "The Landscaper") favorite trees - one thing I know that he talks about is how they have very shallow roots and don't like to have the roots disturbed - so he almost killed ours when he was trying to get tulips to come up under it. Now he leaves it in peace to do it's own thing - just mulches it up and keeps it watered. They are really pretty trees, and add so much color in the fall. Good luck with reviving it. T.
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