Homeowner guides
Tree Watering Guide
A one-page homeowner guide that settles the most common tree-care mistake: watering wrong. Deep and slow, out where the roots actually are.
Free · fillableFill online or print · 1 page · 728 KBWG-001
Free · fillable & printable
Tree Watering Guide
Fill online · print · or PDF · 1 page
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More trees are hurt by bad watering than by drought. This sheet shows the simple version: soak the soil about 12 inches deep at the drip line, not against the trunk, with one or two long soaks a week instead of a daily splash.
There's a clear do/don't list and a cross-section diagram of where the water needs to go, plus a note that new trees need weekly water for the first year or two. Pros: it's a clean leave-behind with room for your company name and phone.
What's inside
- The 'deep and slow' rule explained in plain English
- Why you water the drip line, not the trunk
- A simple weekly schedule (and how new trees differ)
- A cross-section diagram of the root zone
- A do / don't list to stop overwatering and root rot
For homeowners (and pros to hand out) — and it's free to use on real jobs.
Questions
How often should I water my tree?
Established trees usually want one or two deep soaks a week in dry weather — enough to wet the soil about 12 inches down. Newly planted trees need water weekly for the first one to two years while roots establish.
Should I water at the trunk?
No. The feeder roots sit out near the edge of the canopy (the drip line). Water that ring, not the stem — water piled against the trunk invites rot.