Water the trees (in East Dulwich)

[steveo]

A few weeks ago some chaps planted a couple of trees outside my house which was nice. However, the trees both now look quite sick. According to the three council gardeners who were leaning on their spades in the rose beds, the council isn't responsible for trees, the job has been contracted out to a firm. They suggested that the firm has a budget to plant trees but no money to maintain them.

So if you have some thirsty-looking trees near you, it might be in order to empty a bucket of water over them.

[PeckhamRose]

Yeah, and it doesn't have to be bottled water either.

But water that you've just washed your car with won't be too good for it either.

This is interesting since I was thinkingthe palm (and joshua?) trees at Peckham High Street look decidedly unhealthy.

The one at the Goose Green roundabout looks great though.

[seanmlow]

how silly to plant trees which they can't maintain!

[bawdy-nan]

Do trees normally require watering? I would have thought the point would be that they don't - or perhaps its becasue they're not yet well established ...?

I'd like to see apple trees on our streets - bit messy maybe ..

[dazeykat]

Last year some of the new trees planted in streets off LL had a label attached asking people to water them until they were established. If you feel like doing so, the instructions were to pour water in the pipe thing they plant next to the tree.

[louisiana]

There are five new ones at the top of Friern Road (junction Lordship Lane) looking a little thirsty. It's a little far for me to carry a bucket or three... (1/4 mile) so anyone nearer...

[candj]

Bawdy-Nan, I would presume a fully established tree would normally not require watering as its roots would be able to obtain water from underneath the pavements. However, a newly planted tree will need watering to establish itself.

I pestered the council a few years ago to replant a tree that they had cut down at the end of my street. My husband and I watered the flimsy little thing ourselves as it was during the hose-pipe ban and very dry that season and now the silly thing has grown a bit wonky which will probably result in it getting itself chopped down. Alas!

[Brendan]

I live very close to the ones on Friern Road. Will water them tonight. Although it looks like rain at the moment so it may not be necessary today.

[PeckhamRose]

God is watering the earth.

Or,

The pressure and temperature changes are resulting in clouds and the mist therein become proper water and gravity is pulling them down.

We can all put away our monster watering cans!

[KalamityKel]

Not advisable to simply empty a whole bucket of water at the base of the tree (clarifying in case anyone gets ideas that you literally chuck is at the tree and soak passers by) but to do it a bit at a time. Drowning is worse that drying up :)

[louisiana]

There is a little rain, but not much...

[Brendan]

I didn?t water them last night as it was raining anyway but should I do so? What if the council is watering them anyway and I end up drowning them? I have no desire to become South East London?s number one tree murderer.

They all have little pipes sticking out of the ground next to them which I presume lead directly to the root ball which will need water. I don?t know how much rain water would have soaked down there with the light rain we?ve had.

Someone advise me please so I can absolve myself of culpability before I go being recklessly public spirited.

[Ted Max]

Just ask youself, what would Station Master Barry Jones do? And then do that.

(EDIT PS: Down here in Peckham we had some trees planted a couple of years back and they had a little notice on them asking members of the public to water them, using the pipe provided, until they were a bit bigger. So I say, water them.)

[dazeykat]

Yes, water them. I'll share the blame in the unlikely event they drown.

[Ko]

water them once a week. new trees need lots of water until they establish themselves, so they need manual watering during the first year.

i've never had a new plant 'drown', on the contrary they are always needing plenty of water at the start. but as KalKel says, a whole bucket is a bit much!

[Brendan]

I?ve still not had a chance to water them. Was working late last night but will sort it today. Fear not little saplings.

[citizenED]

Brendan, did you manage to get out there today? I'm getting worried about those little saplings.

[betsy555]

messy and wasp magnets......not a good idea.....

[Brendan]

I did Citizen. Last night in fact.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Arboricide!

[Brendan]

From an arborophile such as myself? Never!

[citizenED]

Hurrah! Hats off to you Brendan and your good-deed doing. Have a word with the guy on the corner house - he might be able to water them when he hoses his garden.

[Brendan]

I may do. He?s good with plants him. He has the most perfectly manicured and geometrically correct lawn I?ve ever seen.

[wondergirl]

Absolutely ridiculous!

[wondergirl]

It's just reminded me to water the plants in the office so off I trot :)