Watering Tree in a Container

Question

I bought a baby blue spruce yesterday. It is about 3 1/2 feet tall and is in a 3-5 gallon container. The top of the soil felt dry to the touch. I watered it slowly with the hose. I am planning to plant it in the ground in the next couple of weeks. What is the proper watering procedure until I get it planted?

Answer 1

When you are planting a tree in a container you are making that tree totally reliant on you for nutrients and water. Make sure that you regularly feed your tree once a month with a water based fertilizer or once every three months with a slow release. In hot weather, you will most likely need to water once, maybe twice a day. Even drought tolerant trees will need to be watered frequently.