Hello there first time user. We have 15 trees bordering our south property line. 2 months ago construction started directly behind the south property line. They were going to build the retaining wall within the dripline of these trees and just cut the roots. This would've killed all the trees within a year. We fought them and Maple Ridge Council and received a reprieve that the retaining wall would be moved back 1 metre. Since then I've had drip irrigation running on those 15 trees. I've done this with NETAFIM blank tubing and couplings and tees and then an 8 foot circle around each tree with NETAFIM drip tubibing. The output is 6 gallons an hour. Someone in the house turns it on each day for the last 2 months for a total of 8 hours a day. We also had 1 deep root fertilization done at the end of July and plan to do another in the fall or next spring. The trees are 30-32 years old and range from 7cm diameter to 40cm diameter. The height is from 3m to 9m. There are 4 Douglas Firs, 3 Cedars, 3 Cypress, 2 Butternut Walnut, 1 Black Walnut, 1 Oak and 1 Magnolia. Now sorry the questions. How long should I continue with the Drip Irrigation? Should I cut back the hours and continue to do it until the constuction is finished Feb. 2010? Should I leave the hours and do it on alternate days? Also with the second deep root fertilization should we do it this fall or next spring. I'm a little lost on this so any help would be great!!!! Thanks in advance.
Water enough to keep soil moist during June through October dry season (this year watering should have commenced in May). Carefully dig test holes to get a look at condition of soil in irrigated area. Do not deep fertilize, as in injection - placing fertilizer in narrow columns is ineffective. If soil tests indicate a need for fertilizer, broadcast appropriate formula of granular fertilizer over soil surface instead. Spring and fall are both good times, if nitrogen is all that needs to be supplemented (likely in this region) multiple applications during the growing season may be made. Do not fertilize at all if there is no specific indication of a need, preferably discovered via soil testing.
