Central Texas is blessed with warm, sunny weather throughout much of the year.

However, because there’s little rainfall, especially during spring and summer, our trees often struggle to get enough water. So, you may need to give your trees a helping hand by watering them to protect against the effects of drought.

Plus, our trees might need some additional water throughout the rest of the year depending on things like the weather, the tree’s age, and the type of tree.

Thankfully, it’s easy enough to learn the water needs of your trees in central Texas, ensuring they remain healthy throughout the seasons.

Check out the guide below for some tips on how to best water your trees throughout the year in Central Texas:

Water Needs of Juvenile Trees in Central Texas

Juvenile trees, also called saplings, need regular watering throughout the growing season from spring through to fall.

Because the trees aren’t fully grown yet, they are more vulnerable to extreme conditions, such as extended periods of drought.

Saplings grow rapidly in central Texas, so it’s important to regularly water your juvenile trees to encourage strong development of their root systems. If juvenile trees don’t receive enough water, they experience slow root development, potentially stunting their overall growth.

Also, if saplings face too much drought, like during summer, they’re more susceptible to disease, insects, wilting, and various other long-term issues.

From spring through to fall, you need to water juvenile trees once per week for the first 2-3 years of growth. Watering can be reduced once the trees become more established after a few years.

Young trees also require water in winter, although much less compared to the rest of the year. In most instances, you want to water juvenile trees once or twice per month during winter if there hasn’t been much rainfall.

However, make sure you only water trees when temperatures are above freezing, otherwise the water doesn’t penetrate the ground enough to reach the roots.

Water Needs of Mature Trees in Central Texas

Mature trees don’t need watered as often as young and juvenile trees, although regular watering is still important, especially when there isn’t much rainfall.

As with younger trees, you want to regularly water mature trees throughout the growing season, from spring to fall.

Mature trees need water every 2-3 weeks, although you should water less often – or possibly not at all – if has been raining. For instance, you might not need to water much during spring if there’s regular rainfall.

Of course, summer months get quite extreme here in central Texas, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees and extended periods of drought.

During these harsher conditions, you may want to increase watering frequency to every 1-2 weeks.

As with younger trees, mature trees don’t need as much water during winter, so reduce watering around once per month when there is little rainfall.

Again, avoid watering trees during freezing temperatures as the water won’t penetrate the ground and reach the roots.

Water Needs for Different Types of Trees in Central Texas

Central Texas has many different types of trees, each one with unique water needs. Therefore, you might need to adjust your watering methods depending on what type of trees are in your landscape.

Here’s a quick overview of the water needs of some of the most popular trees in central Texas:

  • Texas Live Oak: Water every 2-3 weeks
  • Cedar Elm: Water every 1-2 weeks
  • Bald Cypress: Water every 1-2 weeks
  • Ashe Juniper: Water every week
  • Pecan: Water every 3 weeks
  • Chinese Pistache: Water every 2-3 weeks

How Much Water Do Trees in Central Texas Need?

The amount of water a tree needs in central Texas depends on a few things, including age, species, and the current weather conditions. For example, most trees need regularly watered during the warm and dry summer months.

A standard rule to follow when watering trees is 5-10 gallons for each inch of trunk diameter. For instance, a tree with a four-inch diameter needs between 20-40 gallons each time its watered.

To measure the diameter of a tree, simply measure through the middle of the trunk a few feet from the ground.

Make sure you don’t confuse the diameter with the circumference and measure around the trunk – the number will be much higher and lead to overwatering!

How to Properly Water a Tree

Trees in central Texas benefit from slow and deep watering around six inches below the ground surface. You want to water the dripline, which is the area beneath the outermost branches, rather than near the tree base.

Make sure to water slowly throughout the dripline – hand watering, sprinklers, and soaker hoses are all great for watering. A popular tree watering method is drilling some ¼ inch holes at the base of a five-gallon bucket and placing it on the dripline.

Once you’ve watered the tree, dig a trowel or screwdriver about six inches into the ground – if it’s moist, the tree has enough water.

The goal when watering a tree is to make the soil moist but not soaking wet. You don’t want to overwater the soil as this might suffocate the roots!

Also, make sure that the soil has enough time to dry between each watering.

Are you unsure how much water your tree needs or how often you need to water it? Then contact COMPANY NAME and we’ll come and check out your trees to determine their water needs!