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Imagine that while
you are spending valuable time caring for your trees, you could
actually be doing more harm than good. That can happen if you
don’t pay attention to the moisture condition of the soil while
following a steady watering plan. The most probable cause of
over-watering is following a watering schedule without being
mindful of existing conditions.
Too much water can be just as bad as too little water. It may
not seem intuitive, but tree roots actually need to oxygen to
complete nutrient tranfer from the soil.
Excess soil moisture excludes oxygen, and without
a drying period between soakings, the breathing may not occur.
Roots will slowly begin to die and eventually the tree can
perish. One symptom of too much water is the yellowing of
leaves when it is not expected. It will generally start on the lower part of the tree on
the inside of the crown and then move outward. Other symptoms
include leaves turning a lighter shade of green and then yellow,
wilting of young shoots, and brittle green leaves. Soil should be moist, not
soggy and squishy for any length of time. Watering once per week
is usually adequate, but never water if the soil is already wet.
Over-watering is
not as common as inadequate watering,
simply because neglect is more common. The best approach to proper watering is to
pick a watering method
you can stick with for the long run, while being mindful at the
same time. |
