Changes to irrigation

Objectives:  

• Provide sufficient water to keep trees healthy, while following drought regulations and not wasting water.  

• Reduce tree losses, as trees take many years to mature, and dead trees are dangerous and expensive to remove.

• Emulate a deep soak rain with irrigation to allow water absorption.

1. Change irrigation hardware

Adding MP rotators, stream rotors, or drip irrigation can help create a slower deeper watering for your trees, and they are much more efficient than regular sprinkler heads. Stream rotors can be added to your current sprinkler heads and will emit multiple streams of water at lower volumes. This will make it so water absorbs easier and less water is lost to evaporation.

2. Mulch

Apply 3 to 4 inches of mulch under the tree canopy. Start about a foot from the trunk and extend 2 to 3 feet past the dripline of the tree.  This will help to slow down water absorption and avoid over-watering. Make sure to spread the mulch around the roots, not the trunk, to avoid trunk damage.