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A few years ago, a neighbor planted several fruit trees in his yard. The trees weren’t thriving and so he asked me to have a look. It was clear that there was a problem. The trees looked weak and spindly and their leaves were wilting. So I asked him how often he watered them.
“Fruit trees don’t need water,” he shrugged. He clearly hadn’t been watering them at all.
Now, this neighbor is a medical doctor and he knows a lot about keeping humans healthy. But like many of us, he isn’t necessarily well informed about fruit tree care.
The problem is that unlike humans, fruit trees don’t have teeth and can’t chew. Whatever nutrition they take in from the soil must be in liquid form.
That means a dehydrated tree is also a nutritionally deficient tree. And a nutritionally deficient tree will not thrive and will not produce a healthy harvest.
In this article we’ll explore the best ways to water fruit trees. Let’s dig in!
How much you water fruit trees depends on various factors including tree age, soil type, climate, season and tree type.
So let’s start with age. Fruit tree irrigation is most important with a young, newly-planted tree because young trees need to establish their root systems. When you’re planting a young tree, you’ll need to water it regularly for 2-3 months until it settles in.
In our community orchard we have clay soil. So, we water newly planted fruit trees twice a week, using 15 gallons of water each time. That’s three buckets for each tree! We slowly pour the water around their root systems, waiting until it is absorbed. Then, we water some more.
Slow, deep watering means that the water won’t pool on the soil’s surface and roll away. And tree roots go down at least 12 inches (30 cm). So we need the water to go down that deep.
But what if your newly planted tree is in sandy soil? Sand doesn’t hold moisture well, so you will need to water more frequently. And in this case, the water won’t have to work its way through dense clay so it will get to the roots faster. That means that less water will be necessary.
When a fruit tree is newly planted, you know where the roots are. After all, you just planted that tree! So you will water the soil just above the roots. But after a few years, the tree will establish itself. Its roots will spread out far and wide. Where should you direct the water then?
Understanding fruit tree anatomy will help us here:
Fruit trees take in water and nutrients primarily through their youngest roots, called “Feeder roots.” These roots are usually located under the outer edge of the canopy. Feeder roots are like little root pioneers, reaching out to access nutrition in soil that the tree hasn't explored before!
In comparison, those older, woody roots that are closer to the tree don’t take in much water. Their job is to anchor the tree to the ground.
So that explains the biggest secret of how to water fruit trees. You need to put the water in the area where the feeder roots are. To do so, you’ll water around the tree’s drip line, just under the outer edge of the canopy.
According to Robert Kourick, author of Roots Demystified: Changing Your Gardening Habits to Help Roots Thrive, fruit tree roots are shallow and far reaching.
So if we want to encourage tree roots to stretch out more, we should by watering slightly further away from the trunk each year. That will help encourage tree roots to reach out further, making your tree stronger and more productive.
“If you just keep watering, fertilizing a foot away from the trunk, the roots will stay there and they won't explore a large volume of soil,” he says.
While the tree’s roots need water, the trunk, branches and leaves do not. Moreover, if the upper part of the tree becomes too wet, it can become a breeding ground for fungal diseases.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, it’s important to avoid using sprinklers to water your fruit trees. That’s because they will wet the entire tree and not just the roots.
If you can’t use sprinklers, what’s the best way to water your fruit trees? Let’s explore that next.
Fruit trees like slow, deep watering. And drip irrigation is a very good option. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Robert Kourick has written an eBook on drip irrigation if you learn more about setting a system up.
If you can’t invest in a drip irrigation system there are other options.
Once you get the water into the soil, you want to keep it there for a while to give the tree’s feeder roots a chance to absorb it. And fruit tree mulches can help.
One popular option is to use 2 inches (5 cm) of wood mulch and spread it over the tree’s root system. Be sure to extend the mulch to the edge of the canopy where the feeder roots are.
The mulch will help keep the moisture in the soil and it can prevent weeds from sprouting and competing with the tree roots for water and nutrition.
But too much of a good thing can be bad! Here are two things to keep in mind when mulching:
You can learn more about how to mulch fruit trees in this article.
Watering frequency will depend on the time of year, your climate and other factors. Here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to seasonal watering:
Getting the watering right for fruit trees can be a bit tricky! So how can you check if your approach is working?
After you water, just grab a trowel and dig a bit near the tree's dripline. Check if the soil is moist about 6-12 inches down. If it's still dry, it's a sign to keep the water coming!
With time, you'll get the hang of it and your tree will make it worth your while. As Robert Kourick puts it, “frequent irrigation will produce the most amount of fruit.”
By tuning into your tree's watering needs, you’ll be well on your way to an abundant annual harvest of organic fruit, year after year.
If you’d like to learn more about fruit tree care, try our Certificate in Fruit Tree Care at orchardpeople.com.
Susan Poizner is an urban orchardist in Toronto, Canada and the award-winning author of three fruit tree care books. Susan trains new growers worldwide through her award-winning fruit tree care training program at Orchardpeople.com and is a former instructor of Fruit Production at Niagara College in Ontario. Susan is also the host of Orchard People, a monthly radio show and podcast, and Susan is an ISA Certified Arborist.