We’ve gotten, rain, snow, sleet and hail in May 2010. You may not have to water your trees as much as past years. There is no hard and fast rule about how much water a tree needs. But you can over do it.

Shallow roots mean too much water

Taking into account the amount of snow we had in Denver, the ground is very saturated.

Consider the following factors.

• Drainage - Is the tree on a hill or in a low lying gully. Water will move away on a hill and pool in a gully
• Species – Volunteer trees like Chinese elm need less water, for example
• Tree Size - Smaller trees may respond better to a drip watering system while larger trees need a deep root watering.
• Tree context – A cottonwood is a water hog, so it will take more than its fair share from a neighboring tree.

Xeriscaping,  lawn condition and proximity to pavement and other structures also play a factor.

This is just a high level overview. We’ve looked at trees that the owner thought was stressed from drought but it turned out the tree was getting too much water.

The symptoms are similar.  Here’s more on  overwatering trees.