Young Tree Maintenance

We focus here on tree watering, with our latest ALERT, background, distilled "how-to" guidance for volunteers watering our local young street trees in the public highway, and volunteer form. You can also find information on Other Young Tree Maintenance (undertaken by West Sussex County Council) and how to report problems. Finally, we've kept a note of Previous Tree Watering Alerts, and included Reference Sources for successful young tree establishment (not limited to street trees).

Tree Watering Alert!

Update: 8th May 2025

It has scarcely rained since the end of February.

Young highway tree watering should be 50 litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).

The Arboricultural Association has teamed up with the Woodland Trust to highlight the need to care for young trees, and street trees in particular, to ensure they survive and grow to become our tree assets of the future. The Trust's Press Release of 13th June 2023, with relevant links, can be found here, and is as relevant as ever.

Do let us know, if you are watering, or could water, a young tree near you.

Background (8th May 2025)

Rainfall this year practically dried up in our area from the start of March 2025, as shown in Figure 2 from the Rainfall and river flow summary 30 April to 6 May 2025.

The last Local Area Water Situation reports (Local Area Solent and South Downs/South-East England) were published for March 2025. Soil moisture deficits were rising, after the third consecutive winter when above average soil moisture recharge was recorded.

Most trees planted last season should now have come into leaf and some will have had good displays of blossom. Most of the energy needed for this will have been taken from what was already stored in the tree. The trees now need lots of water to replenish that stored energy to grow well and not struggle. The larger transplanted trees in verges, recreation areas, parks, etc need watering because they have a much smaller root mass than natural for the size of tree and these roots won't yet have had chance to grow to access deeper soils that normally retain higher levels of water.

Whilst not possible to do for highway-planted trees, a simple way to check the moisture of soils surrounding newly planted trees to see if they need watering is by digging a small hole with a trowel within or near to the tree planting pit to approximately 100mm depth, observe and feel for dry soils (they usually appear lighter in colour and crumble when pressed together). Don’t be too concerned if only the top few centimetres are dry, though it may be worth starting to water your trees if: dry soils are found beyond a few centimetres; the tree is in leaf or starting to flush; and a continued dry spell is expected for more than a few weeks.

Tree Watering - Volunteer

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Other Young Tree Maintenance

Early-years care after planting maximises the chance that a young tree will thrive.

Trees planted through West Sussex County County (WSCC) as part of its donate-a-tree scheme are container grown ‘extra heavy standard’ (approximately 2-3 meters tall). They are planted with an irrigation tube, staked (occasionally caged, where location may present a higher risk of vandalism), mulched and fitted with a strimmer guard.

The irrigation tube is a leaky pipe that enables watering to reach the tree's roots deeper into the soil, encouraging roots to grow down.
Stakes and ties prevent the tree's root ball from rocking, allowing it to take up water and nutrients and new roots to grow securely into the surrounding soil to anchor the tree well. Above ground, the tree is allowed to flex, so it can grow to suit prevailing wind conditions. Ties should not rub.
The mulched area helps the soil retain water, discourages competition for water and nutrients from grass/wildflowers, helps protect the tree from mowing damage, and enriches the soil with nutrients the tree can use.
The strimmer guard reduces the risk of accidental damage to the tree's trunk. Just beneath the tree's bark are the cells which transport water and nutrients around the tree - if they're damaged, the tree's growth can be stunted, its life shortened, and the wound become an entry point for disease/decay.

WSCC's young tree maintenance team will visit all new trees in the summer after planting. They will check ties, stakes and strimmer guard; top up mulch; formative prune; and remove if dead. This will be carried out once a year for 3 years, by which time the tree should have established and the supports able to be removed. Our WSCC Arboriculturist intends to inspect all newly planted trees after 5 years to check on their welfare and any further work required.

Please report any damage/concerns to the West Sussex County Council highways team. Reporting is easy online. That page also includes an emergency 'phone number, if needed (if you use a mobile 'phone, it's well worth saving to your Contacts in case useful whilst you're out and about). The reporting system changed in April 2023. The current system does not send you a copy of your report, so we suggest keeping a note of what you submit. If you sign up for an account and to receive notifications, you will receive a reference number and should be informed how your report has been progressed. Your local volunteer Tree Wardens would also love to hear from you - please get in touch.

Previous Tree Watering Alerts:

There were no updates in 2024, which seemed often overcast and relatively wet, after a wet winter.

15th June 2023

We have now had 4 weeks with only one tiny sprinkle of rain.

Young highway tree watering should be 50 litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).

7th June 2023

After a promising start to this year, we have had 3 weeks with no rain.

Young highway tree watering should be 30+ litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).

(This will need to increase to twice a week, if summer brings drought.)

3rd May 2023

Young highway tree watering should be 15-30 litres a week now in a one-off weekly soak (see below).

(This will need to increase to twice a week, if summer brings drought.)

Background: Rainfall this year has generally been above average, except February which was particularly dry. Soil moisture deficits at the end of March were recorded as low, meaning soils are near to field capacity (which is good). May is forecast for a mixed spell of weather, all of which indicates a good growing season for trees so far!

Trees planted last season should now be flushing leaves and some will have had good displays of blossom. Most of the energy needed for this will have been taken from what was already stored in the tree. The trees now need lots of water to replenish that stored energy to grow well and not struggle. The larger transplanted trees in verges, recreation areas, parks, etc need watering because they have a much smaller root mass than natural for the size of tree and these roots won't yet have had chance to grow to access deeper soils that normally retain higher levels of water.

4th May 2022

We have had a VERY DRY March and April. Young highway tree watering should be 50+litres a week now.

Do let us know, if you are watering, or could water, a young tree near you.