While Iowans are trying to beat the triple-digit heat indices, so are the trees. Paul Wray, a forester with the Iowa State University Extension, says if you’ve planted a tree in the last year or two, it may die without a cool drink, pronto. A tree that’s well-established, planted within the past three or so years, it likely wouldn’t need any extra watering and should survive the current drought and bout with the heat. Wray says newer trees are a different story, so drag out the hose.There is such a thing as over-watering, even during this hot and dry period. Wray says the newer trees on your lot don’t necessarily need a lot of water, but how much is too much?He says, typically a tree that’s one-and-a-half to two-inches around should get between 50 and 100 gallons of water, and that should last it at least a week before it needs another watering.
