Arborist Recommends Watering New Trees Twice A Week

MOKENA, IL - Much of Chicagoland finally saw a little bit of rain on Friday and Monday, but the wet days came on the heels of several weeks with little to no precipitation. Dry spells like that could cause problems for trees if they aren't watered properly and in Mokena that means thousands that have been plated within the last five years.

Phil Graf, the consulting arborist for the village, says the trees located on parkways throughout Mokena should be watered twice a week. This should be done "by taking a hose and letting it trickle 3-5 feet around the tree for 20 minutes," the village wrote in a news release.

This practice means that the tree's roots will be watered. Watering the trunk or foliage of a tree should be avoided.

In the case of heavy rain, Graf says it is best to wait three days before beginning the twice-a-week watering routine. It is okay to water them every other day if it has been particularly dry. But no matter how dry it is outside, the trees should not be watered everyday.

Mokena Assistant Village Administrator Kirk Zoellner said the village has planted about 3,600 new trees on parkways throughout the town since 2013, most of which replaced old ash trees that were infested with the Emerald Ash Borer.

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