Planting Trees and Shrubs in the Desert

Plant Wet

            Most questions I’m getting now revolve around irrigating landscape trees. I think my message about planting in wet soil, and keeping plant roots wet during planting, has gotten through to most people.

            Whenever planting anything in our amended desert soil, make sure the soil is muddy while planting. The soil should stay wet for the first couple of days while these plants are getting established. If you must, build a doughnut from the extra soil taken from the planting holes to hold the water so it stays close to the plant.

Water the Rootball the First Year

            When landscape trees are first planted, landscape workers typically install several drip emitters close to the trunk. This is good. Get to know the make of these emitters and how much water they deliver in gallons or liters per hour. These drip emitters are oftentimes color-coded to indicate from the manufacturer how much water they deliver.Hand water trees and shrubs with a hose the first couple of weeks after planting.

 Movie Emitters Away the Second Year          

During the second year of growth, move drip emitters to about 12 inches from the trunk, and 12 – 18 inches apart. As trees and large shrubs get bigger, add additional drip emitters so that at least half the area under the plant canopy receives water.

Change Irrigation Time on the Clock after 30 Days

            Landscapers set the irrigation clock to water daily or every other day after planting. That’s good for the first week, but after that give the plants enough water so they can last at least two days without irrigating. This means you might need to increase the number of minutes on the clock for some stations.

            I use a 4-foot-long skinny piece of rebar to determine how many minutes to water. After an irrigation, push the rebar into the soil to judge how deep irrigation water drained. Water young trees and shrubs 18 – 24 inches deep, medium-sized shrubs 12 – 18 inches deep and small shrubs 12 inches deep. If the water did not drain deep enough, add minutes until it does.