Trees in Minnesota Need Your Help Right Now
Our warm, dry start to summer has trees across Minnesota asking for your help right now!
After a cool, wet spring that followed a winter that dumped a LOT of snow on us here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, it's tough to believe but much of Minnesota could use some rain right now.
In fact, the latest U.S. Drought Monitor released on June 22, 2023, shows that most of the Gopher State is either abnormally dry or is in a moderate or even a severe drought already this summer.
And that has prompted some municipalities here in the Bold North to send out a plea for help when it comes to young trees. The city of Rochester sent out a news release Wednesday asking homeowners to lend a hand-- and a hose-- and help water trees planted in the boulevard.
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Specifically, the alert from Alison Litchy, Rochester Parks and Recreation Forestry Supervisor, asked for help in watering young trees that have been planted in the boulevard within the past three years. The younger trees with smaller root systems are more susceptible to drought stress, and are in need of extra care, Litchy said.
While this alert was concerning trees the city had planted, Litchy noted that the same advice would apply to ANY tree that has been planted in Minnesota since 2020 or so-- they could all use some water right now.
So if YOU have a young tree that could use some water, just *how much* should you water it? Litchy has some advice here as well:
For proper watering, follow the 10 gallons per diameter inch of tree per week rule. Use a 5-gallon bucket of water or a garden hose at a small trickle for one hour once a week. Make sure to water right at the main root ball of the tree, and we recommend watering in the morning to minimize water loss.
For other questions about which trees could use some help during our unusually dry start to summer, Litchy suggested checking out this handy Tree Owners Guide. And while there are often a LOT of activities in which to take part during our warm weather season, keep scrolling to check out the best FREE things to do in Minnesota this summer!
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