Water fruit trees properly

Our fruit trees are having an increasingly difficult time due to the current climate change. Dry periods often last a long time and the fruit trees are no longer adequately supplied with water. In the worst case, this means that in the worst case, no flowers at all and therefore no fruits either. That is why we would like to show you how you can water your fruit trees properly yourself and support them with it.

The peculiarities of fruit trees

The greatest specialty of our fruit trees are the beautiful flowers in spring and of course the delicious fruit that the trees bear. Then we differentiate between deep-rooted and shallow-rooted fruit trees. The shallow-rooted fruit trees include apple trees, cherry trees or various fruit bushes such as currants, gooseberries, blackberries or raspberries. Shallow-rooted fruit trees should be planted in loose and uncompacted soil. It is also best not to plant them directly above underground water pipes.
Deep roots, on the other hand, are, for example, pear trees, walnut or chestnut trees. These require a lot of space in terms of width. Placing it directly in front of a structure would therefore not be optimal, as this could possibly be damaged by the spreading roots.
What role do fruit trees play in our nutrition and health?
Fruit trees play a very important role in our diet. Without fruit we would be missing a very large source of vitamins. Without vitamins, we will again get sick in the long term. Fruit can serve as a perfect substitute for sweets and it is not for nothing that there is the saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Fruit keeps us healthy and happy and is the basis for a balanced diet in our everyday life.
Like all other trees, fruit trees are also important suppliers of oxygen for us humans and filter pollutants from the air, which, in addition to nutrition, has a positive effect on our health.

How much water do fruit trees need?

A certain instinct is required for fruit trees. If you get too much water, the taste of the fruit can be heavily watered down. If fruit trees are not supplied with enough water, however, they get stressed by drought, and in the worst case do not form flowers or shed the fruit early. Ultimately, this stress leads to tree death in the long run.
You can expect about 30 liters of water per square meter of space under the tree. That's about 3 full watering cans. If we assume an area of ​​around 4 - 5 square meters under a medium-sized fruit tree, it will be happy if it is bathed with around 150 liters of water.

How often should fruit trees be watered?

That always depends on the weather. If you water your fruit tree 2 times a week, it will be very happy. If the drought persists, you can water your fruit tree about 3 times a week. Even in the early vegetation phase after winter, you can support shoots and flowers 3 times a week with water. Drooping leaves are a sign that your tree is very thirsty and you should start bathing the tree immediately. So that the water holds better and the soil doesn't dry out quickly, you can spread some mulch around the tree disc.

Which watering methods are suitable for fruit trees?

Due to the difficult times of climate change, it has to be said that our fruit trees need all types of irrigation to survive. However, there are different watering methods that can help the trees differently.
The standard watering can is of course always the most popular watering method, right next to the garden hose. You can also water your fruit tree with normal water buckets. It is even more helpful to give your fruit tree a refreshing tree bath.If you water your fruit tree with a large amount of water at once, the water seeps through the soil so quickly that it cannot be absorbed by the roots. Or the water runs off the surface and evaporates. Tree bags keep the soil moist for a long time, which gives the tree the opportunity to take a real tree bath.
Time-saving and resource-saving irrigation systems are very suitable for large orchards, as these are difficult to irrigate efficiently with normal watering.

What is the optimal watering method for fruit trees?

The optimal watering method for fruit trees is drip irrigation. This means that the trees are watered drop by drop over a longer period of time and not flooded. Drip irrigation has also proven itself in agriculture for large orchards, because this is how the water really gets to the roots.

The irrigation sack is the best support for free-standing fruit trees in our gardens. Imagine you put this bag around the tree trunk like a jacket and close it with a zipper. The bag is then filled with up to 75 liters of water and releases this drop by drop to the floor within 6 - 9 hours. This leaves the roots enough time to absorb the water.

You can find even more helpful information on drip irrigation in the article: Drip irrigation

As you can see, you can support your own fruit trees very well. Unfortunately, due to various extreme weather conditions such as droughts, it is no longer possible for nature to provide our trees with sufficient water. Therefore, you can become a watering hero and help your tree to carry the perfect fruit for you.