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Do my sprinkler heads provide enough water for my trees?
If your irrigation system and young tree were installed at the same time, the bubblers or heads may be close to the trunk of the tree. That works out okay.
But as the tree gets older, the roots grow out away from the trunk. One option is to move the sprinkler heads further back to the drip line.
Better yet, water your trees by hand.
However, be careful not to over water them in heavy clay. Check the soil moisture down 2-3". It's best to water deeply, then let it dry out in between.
And remember, when planting, don't plant too deep. You don't want to bury the root flare at the base of the tree. If you recently planted a tree (or someone did it for you), go ahead and check that now. Pull away soil and mulch from the base to expose the bottom part that flares out a bit. Never pile soil or mulch up against the base of the tree!
When to water? Water only a couple of times a week on newly planted trees and only once a week or so if those trees were planted last fall. You do need to water those trees more if it's extremely hot and dry this summer. If the trees are three years or more old, you can water them less: every other week to once a month is all. Or maybe not at all once they're older than three years old.
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