THE POWER OF WATER: All I Am Saying Is Give Trees A Chance

By Debby Dunn, for Let’s Talk Plants! April 2025.

Trees, trees, trees. Hawaii, Photo credit: Debby Dunn.

All I Am Saying is Give Trees a Chance

Q: When is the best time to plant a tree?  A: Twenty years ago.

Q: When is the second-best time to plant a tree?  A: Today!

Fall in Chico. Photo credit: Debby Dunn.

Healthy forests are critical to maintaining a healthy water supply. In fact, forests provide drinking water to more than 150 million people in the United States. They’re also the source of 75% of the world’s freshwater. That’s why planting more trees worldwide is so important for our future.

Redwoods by the Russian River. Photo credit; Debby Dunn.

The Benefits of Trees

Trees play a crucial role in water conservation, water quality, and so much more:

·     Trees reduce water runoff by absorbing rainwater through their roots, holding it in the soil and aiding groundwater recharge.  Their roots help bind soil particles together, creating healthy soil and preventing soil erosion.

·     Trees release moisture into the air through a process called transpiration, which helps to increase humidity levels and the formation of clouds, thereby promoting rainfall.

·     Trees help to shade the ground and cool it, reducing evaporation rates and keeping the soil moist. Adding a few inches of mulch around your tree, keeping it from the trunk, enhances these benefits.

·     Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, helping to combat climate change.  They are essential for producing oxygen, which is vital for life. 

·     Trees act as natural air filters, removing pollutants and improving air quality. 

·     Trees provide shelter, food, and breeding grounds for a wide variety of wildlife. 

·     Trees can help cool urban areas by providing shade and reducing the urban heat island effect.  To keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, plant a deciduous tree on the South side of your house.

·     Trees increase home property values with their beauty, while reducing city noise pollution.

Tree Health & Watering Tips

·     Depending on the tree type and size, water every three to six weeks.

·     The amount of water your tree needs depend on a variety of factors - a general rule of thumb is to use approximately 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter for each watering.

·     Focus on deep, infrequent watering, rather than frequent shallow watering.  Aim to saturate the soil around the root zone to encourage deep root growth.

·     Young trees, even drought tolerant ones, need routine water.  Most mature drought tolerant trees can survive on rainwater plus infrequent, deep watering.

·     If rainfall is scarce, be sure to hydrate the trees with irrigation water.

·     Young trees are particularly susceptible to competition from turf grass. Remove grass from the trunk out to a foot beyond the drip line (the outer canopy of the leaves).

·     During drought years, trees should be given priority over lawns. Lawns can be replaced in a matter of months whereas a 20-year-old tree will take 20 years to replace.

For more information, visit:  

💧 Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute at Cal Poly       https://selectree.calpoly.edu/

💧 SDGE Tree Planting         https://www.sdge.com/safety/tree-planting-guide

💧 Arbor Day Foundation           https://www.arborday.org  

Share these easy tips with your friends, family and nearby neighbors.

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Debby Dunn can be reached at GardenGirlDeb@Gmail.com