With a hot, dry weather pattern already established, be knowledgeable about watering trees.

Healthy trees can survive dry spells. However, to reduce drought stress and prevent the death of less vigorous trees, homeowners should supplement natural moisture with deep watering.

If your trees show signs of distress, including leaves that wilt or turn brown around the edges, you probably should water them immediately.

To be most beneficial, watering must penetrate into trees’ root zones. Lawn grasses are very efficient water users. If you only water a lawn for an hour or two, almost all the water will not get below the grass roots.

Tree roots lie in the 6 to 12 inches of soil beneath the grass. Reaching them over a large area requires several hours with a lawn sprinkler.

A more efficient technique involves turning down the hose flow to a slow trickle and placing it beneath the tree.

Frequent, shallow watering actually can harm trees by encouraging shallow root development.

Watering less often, but deeply, is much more beneficial to trees.