If you’re one of the residents who received a new tree from the City in the last few years, we hope you’re watering it!  Trees should be watered once a week from spring until the leaves start dropping, and twice a week in droughtlike conditions.

The first two years are the most vulnerable for transplanted trees.  The dry and hot weather we’ve been having is especially hard on younger trees, as their root system is not yet deep enough to get water from further underground.   A good way to water trees is to used one of those 5 gallon buckets with the holes in the bottom that the City dropped off when you got the tree.  It’s also easy to punch some holes in a bucket or large container, then fill and set near base of the tree.  The water will seep in gradually instead of running off.

For more information about tree care, check out this chart from Friends of the Urban Forest, or this information page from TreeVitalize.

The number of free trees a neighborhood can receive is partially dictated by how many Tree Tenders it has.  Polish Hill is almost at the limit.  If you are interested in learning how to become a Tree Tender, pick up a brochure at the PHCA office, or look here.