Fruit Tree Water Requirements

Watering

If you want your fruit tree to produce juicy fruits, you need to make sure it receives plenty of water. Most of the time, you'll notice when fruit trees need extra water. For instance, young trees need extra water to grow, while all fruit trees need additional water during periods of hot, dry weather. However, it's also important to consider that shallow soakings on a regular basis tend to stimulate the development of shallow root systems, which may not be sturdy or healthy enough to support fruit trees once they reach maturity. Thoroughly soaking the soil around your fruit trees every other week is a much smarter plan.

Young Tree Water Requirements

Newly planted fruit trees need lots of water as they establish themselves in the soil. Immediately after planting, water thoroughly to help the soil settle around the fruit tree's rootball. After this, water when the top two inches of soil dry out, as a deep soaking encourages trees to develop deep, healthy root systems. In very dry climates, 10 gallons per week per young tree is optimal. Typically, watering deeply once or twice a week for the first two growing seasons keeps a fruit tree's rootball moist and healthy. Drip irrigation systems and/or tube watering systems are a preferred watering method.

Mature Tree Water Requirements

Although they need less water than young trees, mature fruit trees still need a thorough soaking on a regular basis -- either from gardeners or from natural rainfall -- to bear juicy fruit. Mulching around fruit trees helps the soil retain moisture, while drip irrigation systems can encourage fruit trees to produce dense, healthy roots and drink enough water for juicy fruit production.

Mature trees should be watered every 10 to 20 days without placing the tree under stress. If the tree become stressed as a result of extreme temperatures (over 90 degrees F) or excessive sunlight, watering frequency will need to be increased. The key to watering estalished trees is to water deeply and infrequently. Slow drip irrigation is key.

Summer Watering Considerations

During the bloom period when fruits are growing, fruit trees need soil that's moist but never waterlogged. Deciduous trees should remain well-watered until harvest, while evergreen trees, such as citrus trees, need moist soil in fall, too. In summer, water most fruit trees when the top eight to 10 inches of soil go dry; for citrus trees, water when just the top 3 or 4 inches of soil dry out. When weather is hot, water more often, possibly as much as every other week in Mediterranean climates, to ensure that fruit trees don't wither or stop producing juicy fruit.

Benefits of Mulching Trees

Mulching can reduce environmental stress by:

Providing trees with a stable root environment that is cooler and contains more moisture than the surrounding soil
Prevents mechanical damage by equipment away from the tree’s base
Reducing competition from surrounding weeds and grasses

How to mulch around a tree

Mulch should be placed 2 to 4 inches deep and cover the entire root system, which may be as far as 2 or 3 times the diameter of the branch spread of the tree. If the area and activities happening around the tree do not permit the entire area to be mulched, it is recommended that you mulch as much of the area under the drip line of the tree as possible (refer to diagram). When placing mulch, care should be taken not to cover the actual trunk of the tree. This mulch-free area, 1 to 2 inches wide at the base, is sufficient to avoid moist bark conditions and prevent trunk decay.

An organic mulch layer 2 to 4 inches deep of loosely packed shredded leaves, pine straw, peat moss, or composted wood chips is adequate. Plastic should not be used because it interferes with the exchange of gases between soil and air, which inhibits root growth. Thicker mulch layers, 5 to 6 inches deep or greater, may also inhibit gas exchange.

Monitoring tree health

Trees need extra care the first two years after planting.
Water the tree very deeply at least one time per week unless at least 1 inch of rain is received and water at least twice a week when temperatures excel 90 degrees F or if you live where you have rocky or fast draining soils. Water the rootball as well as the surrounding soil.
Trees should be inspected on a regular basis. During tree inspection look for signs of tree vigor:
- New leaves or buds - a change in buds or new leaves indicates a recent change.
- Leaf size - also typically indicates a fairly recent change
- Twig growth
- Trunk decay, loose bark or deformed growths, such as trunk conks (mushrooms), are common signs of stem decay and indicate problems that started several years ago
- Absence of crown dieback (gradual death of the upper part of the tree) also indicates a problem that started several years ago.
- Curled new leaves which indicate fungus or pests such as aphids.