[Neighbors] Protecting Nob Hill’s Urban Forest

[kingkb]

Yes, please everyone let's water our trees, and deeply!

Just a couple of thoughts to throw in ~ depth descriptions vary. I was 
told by an arborist that 9 inches is good and my trees are reported to 
be healthy "happy trees" :)

I was also told to water once a week (deeply is important, otherwise the 
roots move to the surface to get the water). However, it was recommended 
to water every 5 days when the temps go above 90°.

One last add-on ~ wood chips might be great, but NOT crushed leaves! I 
was going to mulch leaves and spread them but was warned off doing any 
depth with that. Crushed leaves can compact and prevent water getting 
into the soil.

Thanks for the opportunity to share and let's all water well and help 
our trees keep us cool (er :).

Karen

On Jun 19 2025 1:29 PM, Teresa DeBacker via Neighbors_nobhill-nm wrote:

> Hello Neighbors,
> 
> In Albuquerque's dry climate, even mature trees need water.  This is 
> especially true during times of drought.  Please help preserve Nob 
> Hill's urban forest by watering your mature trees weekly during the 
> summer months.
> 
> How to water nature trees.  According to 505Outside [1], mature trees 
> need to have water dispersed throughout the main root zone in a manner 
> that allows the water to soak in slowly rather than run off.  Most tree 
> roots are located within the top three feet of the soil surface.  The 
> root parts best able to absorb water are located at the dripline of the 
> tree; that is, the outermost edge of the tree canopy where water (like 
> rain) drips off the leaves and onto the ground.  One-inch in-line 
> emitter drip tubing, laid out in a spiral or concentric circles [2] at 
> the dripline of the tree, does a great job of irrigating trees in an 
> optimal manner.
> 
> Alternatively, as described in Tree New Mexico: Tree Tips (treenm.org 
> [3]), you can set down your hose about halfway between the trunk and 
> the dripline of the tree and allow it to dribble VERY slowly to a depth 
> of about three feet.  If water is running off the watering site, it is 
> dribbling too quickly.  You can test the depth of watering by pressing 
> a 3-foot screwdriver or similar object (piece of rebar, a metal rod, 
> etc.) and into the ground where you are watering.  The screwdriver will 
> go into the ground only as deep as there is moisture. If it doesn't go 
> down at least two and a half feet, water that area longer (for more 
> information see Tree New Mexico: Everything You Need to Know About 
> Effective Tree Watering [4].
> 
> What about new trees?  Young trees may need more frequent watering for 
> the first year or so after planting. Water newly planted trees at the 
> base, making sure to wet the entire root ball area (approximately 4-5 
> gallons of water).  Check soil moisture as described above.  New trees 
> may need to be watered as often as twice a week during the first 
> growing season. Make sure to expand the diameter of the watering zone 
> as your tree grows.
> 
> Don't forget mulch.  Placing four inches of wood mulch around the base 
> of the tree or under the canopy is a tremendously effective way to hold 
> in moisture.  As a bonus, it also breaks down and provides fertilizer 
> for your tree.  Free mulch, which you haul yourself, can be obtained 
> from Baca Trees (7933 Edith Blvd NE) and other tree services.  Chip 
> Drop [5] is a service that connects gardeners with arborists to provide 
> free delivery of wood mulch, usually a truckload at a time, which you 
> then move from the drop site (usually a driveway) to your desired 
> locations.  You may know of other sources you can share with your 
> neighbors.
> 
> Thank you for doing your part to protect Nob Hill's beautiful tree 
> canopy!
> 
> Terri DeBacker, Director
> 
> Nob Hill Neighborhood Association
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Neighbors_nobhill-nm mailing list
> Neighbors_nobhill-nm at mailman.swcp.com
> https://mailman.swcp.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/neighbors_nobhill-nm
> This Message Sent To: kingkb at swcp.com


Links:
------
[1] https://www.505outside.com/
[2] 
https://www.505outside.com/2025/06/05/summer-irrigation-for-tree-health/
[3] https://treenm.org/
[4] 
https://treenm.org/2023/07/06/everything-you-need-to-know-about-effective-tree-watering/
[5] https://getchipdrop.com/
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