Watering

Watering can be tricky but common sense will go along way.

Add on: these numbers are for a 2" diameter B&B tree if you have a 3" add 3 gallons to all watering numbers

The most important factor is soil type.

The 3 types were going to consider are: Sandy, Loam and Clay.

Sandy soil - We want to water more often using less water (3-4 gallons 3 times a week)

Loam - We will water normal (5-7 gallons at a very slow rate twice per week).

Clay - water less often using more water (10 gal. at a very slow rate once per week).

A very slow rate of water is 2-3 gallons per hour. To do this, you can run a hose at a very slow trickle or use a 5 gallon bucket with a 1/16" hole drilled into the bottom. The bucket needs to be placed within 16" of the tree trunk.

The next factor is rain received:

If you get less than 1/4" of rain, it doesn't count as any watering. (Wet driveway - No puddles).

If you get 1/4"-1/2" of rain, you need to make a judgment call on watering. (Wet driveway small puddles, some standing water). Consider watering using less water but, don't completely skip the next watering.

If you get 1/2" or more of rain is received and it is within 2 days of usual watering date, skip that watering and resume watering next normal time.

Too much water is - when you step on the ground next to the tree if you see water around your shoe cut back on watering a little.

Too little water is - if you can't stick a pen in the ground with minimum effort then you need to increase the watering.

Fertilizing

DO NOT FERTILIZE AFTER JULY 1.

THIS IS FOR SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER

Start fertilizing in the spring as soon as the leaves come out.

The most impotant factors to fertilizing are the same soil types as in watering:

If you buy grass starter fertilizer from Menards - grass starter fertilizer 10-0-10. This is what I use.

For a 2" tree:

use 2 - 3 cups on the first of each month

For a 3" tree:

use 4 cups on the 1st. of each month

Winter tree care

All trees should be covered from first snow until the snow melts as a minimum. You can cover the trees as early as aug 1 if deer damage is a possibility. The tree cover must also come off after snow melt. You can use tree gaurds or tree wrap either will work the tree gaurds are alittle better because they don't hug the tree tight like the paper wrap does.