Are tree watering bags also suitable for older trees?

Tree watering bags are an ideal way to water young trees. Young trees need a lot and continuous watering as they are still growing and have not fully developed their roots. It is important that the trees get a lot of water at once, for example 75 liters in one pourßwalk.

Tree bags are particularly suitable for watering young trees because they make it possible toßto moisten other parts of the root area. It can pour 75 liters of water in one goßgang are released, which then slowly trickle into the ground. This slow drip irrigation ensures that the water can seep into the root area of ​​the young tree. The dendrologist Andreas Roloff also writes this in his book Drought Stress in Trees:

“Mobile watering bags and flat rings can also ensure continuous moistening of the root area of ​​newly planted trees. In addition, the superficial evaporation under the contact surfaces of the sacks and rings is then reduced.»

And the GALK writes:

“Therefore, young trees need to be watered more frequently during hot and dry weather phases, depending on the course of the weather. However, frequent watering that is only close to the surface (with little water) should be avoided, as the tree roots then remain in the upper area and do not grow downwards. However, the young tree must adapt to the site-specific conditions and, above all, develop its root system in deeper soil layers.

And what about older trees?

Until a few years ago, many older trees did not need additional watering. Thanks to their well-developed root system, they were able to fetch the necessary water from the depths themselves. Unfortunately, more and more older trees are now getting in Drought stress and often die. In recent years there has been a lot of heat and long dry periods. In addition, the groundwater level is falling in many localities.

But how are these older trees watered? We certainly know that the same applies to older trees: give a lot of water at once, but less often.

And what about tree watering bags? Unfortunately, we are not yet aware of any study that has examined the use of tree watering bags on older trees. However, we have empirical values ​​that we have received from our customers. Since we have been offering our baumbad watering bags since 2019, we have been able to learn a lot from the experience of countless city gardeners, landscaping contractors and tree lovers. And we keep finding out that the baumbad watering bags are often used successfully on mature and old trees.

Watering bags on the trunk or on pegs

For young trees, the bags are attached directly to the tree trunk. This is ideal as the trunks are not yet thick and their root zone is directly below the trunk. As a result, the water gets to exactly the right place.

But what about older – and larger – trees? Some customers then simply connect several irrigation bags. This is quite simple. If you connect three irrigation bags, trees with a circumference of up to 90 cm can be watered.

In addition to this method, we also hear from our customers again and again that they set up the tree bags with a stake around the root area. The bags are then not directly on the trunk. This has the advantage that even for largerßere logs and a single bag must be used.

A customer told us how he used this to water the redwoods in his town. He places several 75 liter PVC bags in a circle in the root area of ​​the tree with pegs.

Collect more data

Do you also water older trees? How you do that? We would be happy to learn from your experiences. Please write to us at: andreas@baumbad.de

Another possibility could be to use 100 liter bags. You can find one here Overview of the tree bath range.