One of the simplest ways to treat drought stress in trees is a simple foam soaker hose (Link to hose). After you lay this hose within the dripline of the tree as best as possible, you need to do some math. You first need to know what species of tree you have so you know its needs. Most soaker hoses disperse water at a rate of 1 gal per foot per hour. So if you have 50 feet, that’s 50 gals of water per hour. A spruce tree that’s 15” DBH needs 125 gals to 175 gals of water weekly to biweekly for optimal growth. **Note, this is a tree found in the urban environment. Most indigenous spruce trees in the forest only need 15 to 25 gals of water.** During drought conditions, you would likely water this urban tree once every 7 to 14 days with a 50 ft hose for 2 to 4 hours. But first you must know your tree and its needs.
