How to Not to Overwater Flowering Cherry Trees
Flowering cherry trees offer beautiful spring blooms and attractive focal points for yards. There are a variety of types to choose from, such as the Autumne, Kwanzan, Okame and Yoshino cherry tree. Cultivars vary in flower color, blossom times and in height. Most flowering cherry trees can be grown in zones 5 to 9. Make sure to plant your tree on well-draining soil and keep up the proper watering to ensure years of fragrant blossoms. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Find out how well your soil drains by conducting a soil type test. Sandy soil tends to be dry and needs more water. Clay soil is generally saturated with water and needs less water. Loam has great draining abilities and does not need to be amended. By knowing your soil type, you manage your watering more effectively.
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Fill a jar with two thirds soil and one third water. Shake the jar and wait 24 hours for the soil to settle. Sand will settle on the top, loam in the middle and clay on the top. Judge how much of the sentiment you have in the soil by looking at the jar. If it is mostly filled with sand, you can add peat moss to increase the soil's draining abilities. For clay soil, till a six-inch layer of compost and coarse sand in the planting area to increase drainage.
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Set a water gauge in your yard. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your flowering cherry tree receives one inch of water a week and a little more if you have sandy soil or less if you have clay soil.
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Check your rain gauge each week and supplement additional water if needed. If the tree has too much water, it may promote a fungal disease. To water your tree, make sure that you water over the drip line and not at the base because it can encourage fungal diseases. Release the water slowly to encourage deep roots.
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Press your fingers into the first three inches of top soil to check if it is dry during hot summer weather. If it is dry, give your tree some water. When water begins to pool or run off, you should stop watering because the ground has become saturated.
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Tips & Warnings
Water in the morning to avoid evaporation on sunny days.
Check your tree for signs of over watering like leaf discoloration, stunted growth, wilted looking tree and greenish surrounding soil.
