A tree in our front yard has a drip line whose radius now covers the two lawns, since it was planted 12 years ago, replacing a 100 year old maple tree.
With the great rainfall of June 17 in west end Toronto, does the water fall through the European beech tree leaves, or do should I continue to water the lawn as if the water goes around the small lawns off into the sewer, because the height of the tree is now 3 stories with a real canopy?
I’ve always assumed that when it rains, the water falls through the leaves, but I may be wrong, by skipping that week of watering.
Thank you
attachment: tree one year ago before growth spurt
Thank you for your question. If I understand correctly, you are concerned about the amount of water your 12 year-old European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) is receiving on a weekly basis.
The massive rainfall Toronto received on July 17 was unprecedented and your tree would have received enough water. A mature European beech tree typically has a dense canopy that can block both rain and sun from reaching under the drip line. This may be evident by the inability to grow turf grass between the trunk and the drip line.
In order to determine if your tree is allowing rain to filter through the leaves, you could experiment by leaving small, clean containers in a few locations under the tree the next time it rains. Compare the amount of water in these containers to one that was left in the open.
The Morton Arboretum provides the following care information about European beech: “Grows best in full sun to part shade in well-drained soils. Tolerant of higher pH soils than American beech. It does not tolerate wet or compacted soil, is drought sensitive, and must be watered well in dry periods. It benefits from a layer of mulch that helps conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature fluctuations. Avoid foot traffic over the root system.”
Do you know the texture of the soil where the tree is planted? Soil texture is very important in determining how much water the soil can retain. For example, sandy soil drains quickly whereas clay soil retains water and drains slowly. Please see Chapter Two-Soil Assessment in this excellent Ontario Landscape Tree Planting Guide for the importance of soil texture on water-retaining capacity.
This article describes two ways to test the texture of your soil. Both tests are fun to try.
Your European beech tree is an established 12 year-old tree. In general, it should not require weekly watering at this point unless there is a drought. This article from the University of Minnesota Extension about Watering Established Trees will provide you with guidance on how much and when to water.
I hope this answers your question! Good luck with your tree.