WATER
How much water, and exactly where
Almost everyone waters in the wrong place. The roots that drink are not next to the trunk — they are out at the edge of the branches.
-
Water the ring, not the trunk
Picture the circle drawn on the ground by the outermost leaves. That line is the drip line, and the feeding roots sit under it. Pour there. Water at the trunk mostly runs off and invites rot.
-
Daily water for a new sapling
Until the roots take hold, a young plant needs a little water every day. A one-year-old tree gets by on 5 to 10 litres.
-
Grow the quantity with the tree
Roughly double it every couple of years — around 20 to 40 litres at three years, 50 to 100 at six. From about ten years, a mature tree wants 100 to 200 litres. In the dry months water it deeply every three or four days rather than a splash daily.
-
Never let water stand
A rambutan wants damp soil all year, but standing water at the base kills feeder roots within days. If a puddle sits after watering, open a channel and let it drain.
-
Mulch before the heat arrives
Spread dry leaves over the basin before February, keeping a foot of clear ground around the stem. Mulch holds the moisture in and keeps the root zone several degrees cooler. Rake it off when the June rain sets in.
Not sure how this applies to your land?
Ask our nursery team