The Urban Forestry Administration of the District Department of Transportation is asking District residents and business people to water our city's trees during this period of low rainfall.
"All of our trees need water in this period of hot, dry weather, but watering is especially critical for our younger trees and new plantings," said Mark Buscaino, the District's State Forester. "Applying fifteen gallons of water twice per week should do the trick. This equivalent to three large plastic paint buckets or turning on your garden hose at a very slow rate for about one to one-half hour."
Buscaino also said that it is important to maintain three inches of mulch around the base of all trees, again, especially for those planted within the past two to three years. Mulch helps conserve groundwater and can take trees through dry spells where rainfall is not as frequent as expected. Even trees that appear distressed can recover if properly watered.
Over the next three weeks, the UFA is checking the survival of all trees planted this past planting season. If they are dead, the city's planting contractors will replace them this fall/spring according to the one-year guarantee provided with all newly planted street trees.
