The council’s tree contract includes regular watering between April and September of newly planted trees for the first 2 years after planting. During dry periods in the summer, however, the amount of watering provided by the contractor may not be sufficient to prevent the tree suffering acute distress or, in some cases, dying.

When there are drought conditions young trees may struggle to survive and Tree Wardens and borough residents are encouraged to assist with additional watering.

Signs that a tree is in distress include the leaves browning and dropping prematurely, the ground around the base of the tree becoming dry and cracked or the tree struggling to come into leaf after a dry spring.

Watering the tree with a few buckets of water every week will help ensure the young tree has a good start. Watering at night helps ensure minimum loss of water through evaporation (which can be as much as 30% during the heat of the day).

Water can be poured down the watering pipe but it is also important to apply water on the surface and allow it to soak down to those roots that are close to the surface. If need be, hardened earth can be loosened with a fork or trowel to prevent excessive water run-off.