I’ve seen cherry trees in the more southern parts of France with their leaves turned down during really hot dry spells but they perk up when they get rain.
The OP says his tree didn’t respond to a soaking … does he know how many gallons he gave it and how frequently? In some places the effect of the drought in ‘22 continued to affect the subsoil this year.
I don't measure how many gallons I give established trees, Dove, but all you need to know is that it had a thorough, deep soaking with the hose pipe for over 3 minutes in duration, which would have been many litres.
I'm personally out of ideas now so all I can do is hope that the tree's root system is still functioning and that it can bounce back next year. I'd be happy to provide photos next summer again and perhaps we can take it from there.
I'm up in 'wet' Scotland, and some of my newly planted trees, around 3 years old, had 15-20 mins of the hose. Your 3 mins might not have been enough.
I’ve seen cherry trees in the more southern parts of France with their leaves turned down during really hot dry spells but they perk up when they get rain.
The OP says his tree didn’t respond to a soaking … does he know how many gallons he gave it and how frequently? In some places the effect of the drought in ‘22 continued to affect the subsoil this year.
I don't measure how many gallons I give established trees, Dove, but all you need to know is that it had a thorough, deep soaking with the hose pipe for over 3 minutes in duration, which would have been many litres.
I'm personally out of ideas now so all I can do is hope that the tree's root system is still functioning and that it can bounce back next year. I'd be happy to provide photos next summer again and perhaps we can take it from there.
I'm up in 'wet' Scotland, and some of my newly planted trees, around 3 years old, had 15-20 mins of the hose. Your 3 mins might not have been enough.
For an established tree that has done fine up to this point, I believe I know what is enough for the tree. I don't have the RHS data to hand but 15-20 minutes is very excessive for a 3 year old tree in my view. A few minutes at a time supplies many litres in my experience, more than the tree would be able to take up.
Established trees and shrubs do not generally need watering, as they have such wide-ranging roots that they are drought-proof. But their growth may be improved by watering when they are under drought-stress
From the RHS website. I'd say an 8 year old tree would count as established.
What i meant, was that i had drooping leaves, and it took 15-20 mins of the hose to sort it. Your tree didn't recover after 3 mins of the hose, so maybe it needed more.
Indeed @Balgay.Hill . 15 minutes, of a suitable flow of water from a hose, is about right - especially in lighter, freer draining soil, and especially in an area that's had long periods of drought, or is generally drier. The hose wouldn't [shouldn't] be firing on all cylinders if you're doing it correctly, ie - a pace that encourages the water to go into the ground rather than dispersing too far around the surface area. In heavier soil, it wouldn't need so long. Differing climate/soil around the country, makes a huge difference with care. For a young tree, planted in spring, I'd rarely need to give it more than a bucket of water [3 gallons/13 to 14 litres] each time, and no more often than a couple of times a week, in summer. Planted in autumn/ winter it would be unlikely to need watered at all until the following summer, and even then, it may not need it at all. People have offered just about every suggestion and piece of advice possible, and without seeing the tree 'in the flesh', it's impossible to do anything more. If you don't believe any if the advice is correct/appropriate, then all you can do is wait. It'll either recover or it won't. Sometimes, that's just how it is
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When the ground is very dry over a large area, you need to apply enough water to restore the moisture level of the soil; only then can the tree’s roots access the amount of water it needs.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Indeed @Balgay.Hill . 15 minutes, of a suitable flow of water from a hose, is about right - especially in lighter, freer draining soil, and especially in an area that's had long periods of drought, or is generally drier. The hose wouldn't [shouldn't] be firing on all cylinders if you're doing it correctly, ie - a pace that encourages the water to go into the ground rather than dispersing too far around the surface area. In heavier soil, it wouldn't need so long. Differing climate/soil around the country, makes a huge difference with care. For a young tree, planted in spring, I'd rarely need to give it more than a bucket of water [3 gallons/13 to 14 litres] each time, and no more often than a couple of times a week, in summer. Planted in autumn/ winter it would be unlikely to need watered at all until the following summer, and even then, it may not need it at all. People have offered just about every suggestion and piece of advice possible, and without seeing the tree 'in the flesh', it's impossible to do anything more. If you don't believe any if the advice is correct/appropriate, then all you can do is wait. It'll either recover or it won't. Sometimes, that's just how it is
Many have offered advice (for which I was grateful) but you seem to be making assumptions here - did I say I was on dry, free-draining soil?
For the record, the soil is clay, not light (hence not watering for 15 mins), but i ensured that drainage was good when planting the tree back in the autumn of 2016 (when it was around 6ft tall so presumably 2 or 3 years old). It was watered well each year, particularly during the first 3 years or so to ensure it thrived, which it did. The way you instruct re: the hose is condescending really - believe it or not but I do know how to direct water appropriately rather than just letting it pool in one place. Again - assumptions (wrong ones for that matter).
You also just said you rarely gave your young tree more than a couple of buckets a week in summer, which somewhat contradicts what you say at the start of your message.
When the ground is very dry over a large area, you need to apply enough water to restore the moisture level of the soil; only then can the tree’s roots access the amount of water it needs.
Somewhat impractical when the tree is in lawn, when water is supposed to be conserved according to the water companies, and so on. I'm afraid I couldn't justify spending an hour stood with a hosepipe (or using a sprinkler) to ensure the entire lawn is saturated.
Indeed @Balgay.Hill . 15 minutes, of a suitable flow of water from a hose, is about right - especially in lighter, freer draining soil, and especially in an area that's had long periods of drought, or is generally drier. The hose wouldn't [shouldn't] be firing on all cylinders if you're doing it correctly, ie - a pace that encourages the water to go into the ground rather than dispersing too far around the surface area. In heavier soil, it wouldn't need so long. Differing climate/soil around the country, makes a huge difference with care. For a young tree, planted in spring, I'd rarely need to give it more than a bucket of water [3 gallons/13 to 14 litres] each time, and no more often than a couple of times a week, in summer. Planted in autumn/ winter it would be unlikely to need watered at all until the following summer, and even then, it may not need it at all. People have offered just about every suggestion and piece of advice possible, and without seeing the tree 'in the flesh', it's impossible to do anything more. If you don't believe any if the advice is correct/appropriate, then all you can do is wait. It'll either recover or it won't. Sometimes, that's just how it is
I also never deemed any advice incorrect or inappropriate, and I also posted photographs of the tree if you check the first few posts of this thread.
Posts
For an established tree that has done fine up to this point, I believe I know what is enough for the tree. I don't have the RHS data to hand but 15-20 minutes is very excessive for a 3 year old tree in my view. A few minutes at a time supplies many litres in my experience, more than the tree would be able to take up.
From the RHS website. I'd say an 8 year old tree would count as established.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Differing climate/soil around the country, makes a huge difference with care. For a young tree, planted in spring, I'd rarely need to give it more than a bucket of water [3 gallons/13 to 14 litres] each time, and no more often than a couple of times a week, in summer. Planted in autumn/ winter it would be unlikely to need watered at all until the following summer, and even then, it may not need it at all.
People have offered just about every suggestion and piece of advice possible, and without seeing the tree 'in the flesh', it's impossible to do anything more. If you don't believe any if the advice is correct/appropriate, then all you can do is wait. It'll either recover or it won't. Sometimes, that's just how it is
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
For the record, the soil is clay, not light (hence not watering for 15 mins), but i ensured that drainage was good when planting the tree back in the autumn of 2016 (when it was around 6ft tall so presumably 2 or 3 years old). It was watered well each year, particularly during the first 3 years or so to ensure it thrived, which it did. The way you instruct re: the hose is condescending really - believe it or not but I do know how to direct water appropriately rather than just letting it pool in one place. Again - assumptions (wrong ones for that matter).
You also just said you rarely gave your young tree more than a couple of buckets a week in summer, which somewhat contradicts what you say at the start of your message.
I also never deemed any advice incorrect or inappropriate, and I also posted photographs of the tree if you check the first few posts of this thread.