KTRH GardenLine Newsletter

April 12, 2007 - Issue #14

Here's Randy's Weekly KTRH GardenLine Tip:

Deep Root Watering and Feeding Your Trees!



Here it is … a lecture and a visual HOW-TO about deep root watering/feeding of trees. On the GardenLine radio program I probably hammer home the point and importance of deep root watering/feeding of trees at least once every hour. People call because their trees aren't growing much since they planted them two years ago; people call about older trees and their roots coming out of the ground and the most-oft asked question these days are about oak trees with seemingly hundreds of tiny little saplings popping up from under established trees. These are all examples of trees that are in dire need to Deep Root Watering/Feeding.

This e-mail tip could go on forever, but unlike two weeks ago, I'm not just "harvesting out" the chapter in my book Gulf Coast Gardening to fulfill this week's email tip. However, since I'm limited on time and space, I hope the artwork that will follow at the end of this tip will give you more of a concept of these fundamentals. And yes, it is the art work from the book. The main point I hope you can take away from this week's tip: IT MAY NOT GET ANY EASIER THAN RIGHT NOW TO DEVELOP THE HOLES FOR DEEP ROOT AUGERING, BECAUSE OF ALL THE RECENT RAINS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES.

I talk about developing holes that go down 18 inches into the soil. These can be developed many ways. With Ross Root Feeders, soil augers, post hole diggers, or your own tool fashioned with something a la piece of steel rebar. The bigger the holes that are augered the fewer holes you will eventually need. The smaller the hole with tools like the Ross Root Feeder, the more holes you will need to develop. If the holes are bigger than an inch wide, you will need to fill them with pea gravel or organic matter, like mulch or compost. The smaller the hole, the apt we are to let Mother Nature fill the holes gradually and naturally.

Now, here's where it gets real simple. Yet, it's also where many of you will want to complicate it. The holes are developed to make it easy to deep root feed and deep root water. Mother Nature and your irrigation system will provide plenty of moisture to trickle down in the holes. You don't necessarily have to water each individual hole. (I'm sure there are some people breathing a huge sigh of relief) The same concept holds true for feeding them. If you have holes that are 2 inches wide or bigger (such as the post hole sized ones) you can soak those areas specifically with organic foods or soil activators to deep root feed a tree. The smaller the holes, you will just have to soak the entire area with something akin to a spray-on organic liquid, or you can even allow compost as "fill dirt" on the surface to slowly work its way down.

A couple of other concepts are worth noting to bring this deep root water/feeding together. First, remember that these holes need to be augered both inside and outside the drip line (if you don't know what a "drip line" yet, see the art work below). Plus, you should start them at least two feet away from the trunk of the tree. Secondly, and probably most importantly remember how tree's roots want to grow. The picture below will show you what I mean. We tend to think of them as growing only laterally, when in fact they like to grown down in well-watered, organic soils. Finally, remember that this process is an on-going idea. Even when you've got a healthy tree, remember that years later it will be helpful to come back and auger some new holes.

WORDS OF WARNING:
  • Just feeding with granular synthetic foods actually eats up the beneficial microbes that we are trying to increase down in the root zone - that's why I emphasize organic foods for the roots of trees. The older the tree, the more likely you can opt back to synthetics if you choose.
  • If you're auguring with a drill bit bigger than 2 inches wide, it's wise to have gas, phone, and other utility lines marked prior to drilling.
  • Again, don't forget to increase your holes outside the "drip line" as the tree matures.
  • Hire a tree company if you think this is too much work, for they have helped pioneer the concepts of which I speak.

    And here's the picture you've all been waiting for to bring this full-circle visually… CLICK HERE to see a deep root grid plotted inside and outside a drip line of a fully-grown tree, a drip line and a logical look at how roots are trying to grow down in the root zone.

    Until next issue, here's to Great Gardening from the GardenLine, heard exclusively, 6-10 a.m. Saturdays and 7-10 a.m. Sundays, only on NewsRadio 740 KTRH.



    Be sure to check out Randy's Event Page to see where else Randy will be for the next few weekends. Bring your plants, bugs, and diseases for identification purpose.



    GardenLine Listeners and E-mail Tip Subscribers can purchase a copy of my new book at discounted price! Check it out! "Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon"
    Garden retailers interested in stocking the book, should call the Nitro Phos Warehouse at 713-228-1868 for wholesale ordering information.



    CONTACT INFORMATION
    Click Here for a complete KTRH program schedule E-mail The Editor. Please feel free to forward this issue to friends and associates. Anyone can subscribe for free. For Advertising Information: PaulLambert@clearchannel.com, general sales manager - 713-212-8560 You are receiving this newsletter because you requested a subscription. This newsletter is optimized for Microsoft Outlook. If the newsletter doesn't display correctly in your e-mail program, see our online version. To unsubscribe, instructions are at the bottom of this page.

    This listener newsletter copyright © 2006. Powered by Clear Channel's ktrh.com.