TreeGator Review | Essential Tree Watering Bags

The TreeGator is common in many homes in towns and suburban areas, especially in the summer. I am a resident of Vancouver, BC, and we have had a biting drought this year. Water shortage is a major issue with the country imposing a ban on lawn sprinkling. The TreeGator is a good remedy that saves a long of water during droughts.

Furthermore, initially designed to water newly planted trees, TreeGator deeply saturates the soil, shrubs, and trees and distributes water evenly on roots to induce faster and natural growth. Fortunately, unlike drip kits and other systems that waste water, the TreeGator does not create runoff or limit evaporation. Finally, its smart design is easy to set up and durable. All people should consider using the TreeGator.

TreeGator Benefits:

• Benefits street and shade trees.
• Eases drought and transplant shock.
• Easy to set up and fill.
• Boosts water absorption (100%) without a runoff.
• Reduces tree maintenance by up to 80%.
• Induces deep root growth.
• Dispenses water-soluble nutrients efficiently.

TreeGator | Simple to Use

Basic Guidelines for using the TreeGator (check the chart):

• If your trees have a 1 to 2-Inch thick trunk, refill it once per week.
• If trees have a 2 to 3-Inchthick diameter, refill it twice per week.

This product has a double bag setup that fits larger trees:

• 4-5-Inches = 1 refills per week.
• 5-8-inches = 2 refills per week.

Here is a video on how to set up the TreeGator:

TreeGator is the Original Tree Watering Bag

Many watering bags in stores are comparable to this one or claim to offer similar results with the TreeGator Slow Release Watering Bag. The truth is that professionals have recommended and used the TreeGator since 1989. If you have been a fan of the Chainsaw Journal since its inception, you probably know that the best companies have a lot of experience in their niche. This should matter to you.

Great products should be able to withstand the test of time. These TreeGator bags offer these benefits and many more.

Learn more about Spectrum Products here – the manufacturer of TreeGator watering bags.

Benefits of the TreeGator

The TreeGator not only saves you water but also waters trees deeply to prevent heat shock and transplant shock in newly planted trees.

Watering plants by hand, a garden hose, or a sprinkler is wasteful and frustrating, especially if you have a large yard with many trees. Why is it so? While using these traditional watering techniques, you lose a lot of water via evaporation and runoff. Moreover, these methods do not saturate the root of plants sufficiently, impeding natural growth.

In today’s world where climate change is a concern and temperatures are ever rising, you might experience the same problem that I currently have in Vancouver, Canada, where watering for a long time is a violation of the law. Therefore, instead of letting trees die, you should wrap them with a TreeGator to keep them healthy all summer.

Symptoms of Heat/Drought Stress

The drought symptoms on trees can develop gradually or quickly but can take up to two years to be noticeable. Signs of drought damage are visible on leaves and include curling, wilting, and yellowing.

• Deciduous leaves might develop brown edges, scorching and browning between the veins.
• Evergreen needles can change color from green to purple, red, or yellow. The needles might also have browned on the tip, which progressing down the needles and the twig.
• When droughts last for long, the following additional changes might develop. First, leaves might grow smaller than normal. They might also brown and stay on the tree or fall prematurely.
• While heat stress might not kill your trees outright, it will weaken it to the point that it is susceptible to diseases and insects.

Turgidity, or droopy or limp trees, is one of the most typical heat-stress indications in plants.

For more information, read: Recognizing Drought Symptoms in Plants.

The TreeGator is easy to install

If you have a new tree, zip the bag around its trunk, fill it with water, and walk away! That is all you have to do. You do not have to dig holes or trenches. Furthermore, you do not have to use spikes or stakes for the system to work as required. TreeGator saves cash, time, and water.

Do not use the TreeGator when the weather is cold. Empty and remove it during winter, as it cannot withstand the cold.

Young trees develop a robust and healthy root system after a few years and, therefore, might not require the TreeGator’s assistance. However, it is an excellent item to have around when drought comes.

How often should you fill an Original TreeGator Bag?

The chart that we have shared below highlights the optimal watering schedule. Note these qualifications:

• The Original TreeGator (in gallons) depends on its set up and the diameter of a tree’s trunk (tree caliper). See below.
• The recommendations are guided by 1-inch of tree caliper and 10 gallons of water

Buy or learn more from Amazon.

Download or View the DETAIL SHEET for the TreeGator.

You can find more information about TreeGator from the website.

Features (Original TreeGator):

• Slow-release system for watering trees.
• Works on street trees and newly planted shade trees with trunks measuring up to 4-inches thick.
• It saturates plants deeply, which alleviated drought (heat) stress and transplant shock.
• Prevents wastage of water via evaporation or runoff.
• Refill it once every 5 to 7 days.
• You can double bag it to fit up to 8-inch trees.
• Limited 5-Year warranty.

TreeGator Junior Pro | Tree Watering Bag

The TreeGator Junior Pro has a low-profile design that fits under small plants or trees/shrubs with branches hanging at least 6-inches from the ground. Moreover, because it is brown, it blends well with surrounding grass and dirt, to name a few. The robust PVC used to make it is durable.

Buy or learn more from Amazon.

Features:

• Benefits most newly planted trees, shrubs, and evergreens measuring up to 6-inches thick.
• Its brown, low profile design has a natural outlook.
• Its dual PVC structure delivers water continuously for 5-8 hours.
• Prevents/reduces heat stress and transplant shock.
• Limited three-year warranty.

As the weather changes, you are more likely to see most of your neighbors use TreeGators in your locality to water trees. I like in a dry area of the world and encounter these tree bags everywhere. If you experience bouts of droughts as well, stock up on them as well.

Important Tree Watering Facts

Why should you deep water your plant?

Newly planted or transplanted trees have a less developed (inferior) root system and are therefore fragile and susceptible to diseases or damage. They need deep saturation often to grow faster. Transplanted trees are also vulnerable to shock because of the new environment.

The TreeGator is a deep watering device that retains optimal water levels on the ground and roots to boost trees’ health and growth. Therefore, if you have a newly transplanted tree, it provides sufficient moisture to prevent transplant shock. The water reaches deep into the soil.

How deep is enough?

Experts recommend that you water trees up to 12-inches deep to promote healthy growth because most root systems reach 2 to 4 feet in soil. The TreeGator works best on newly planted trees as it channels water where trees need it — directly on the root mass.

Which are the Best Ways for achieving Deep Water Saturation?

To ensure deep-water penetration on your lawn or garden, sprinkle large volumes of water per application and let it soak. The TreeGator achieves this, making it one of the most popular tools for homeowners. It maintains the right environment for growing healthy trees by evenly and slowly delivering a large amount of water to saturate trees deeply.

Fact: New trees require around 10 gallons of water every week for every 1-inch tree caliper (trunk diameter) to grow healthy.

How much water does a new tree require?

While there is no specific amount of water that you should provide to guarantee healthy growth, many laid down watering guidelines exist.

One commonly recommended formula is to provide about 10 gallons of water every week for each 1-inch tree caliper. For example, if your tree has a 2-inch trunk diameter (caliper), you should provide around 20 gallons of water every week to boost healthy growth.

Depending on the bag set up and model, a TreeGator bag provides around 15 to 50 gallons of water per application.

Why not just water with a sprinkler frequently?

Watering trees and shrubs regularly using a sprinkler is a challenge, as it requires a lot of effort. Moreover, water applied from a sprinkler is prone to evaporation and runoff, leading to wastage. Finally, shallow and light water application from sprinklers forces shallow rooting and, therefore, poor soil anchorage.

The TreeGator offers better results by forcing trees’ roots to penetrate deep into the soil and thrive. The mechanism of action is relatively simple. The roots of trees grow towards water. Therefore, if the moisture level is shallow, the roots do not penetrate deep into the soil, making the tree/plant weak.

Newly planted trees need a lot of water to grow deep and sturdy root systems. They are less efficient at using water than established trees.

How long can it take a new tree to establish?

Transplanted trees require several years of constant care to establish a healthy root system. However, on average, you should wait for around a year for every inch of tree diameter (trunk caliper).

Steps to Ensure Plants Reach Their Full Potential

1. Select a tree that can thrive in your location. Provide ample room for the root and canopy to grow vertically and horizontally.
2. Dig a square hole that is the same size as the root’s ball. This stops your tree’s roots from settling too deep into the ground. It also allows the soil to settle on the root to boost stability.
3. Fill the hole that you have dug and check its drainage.
4. If necessary, prune the tree sparingly.
5. Set up the tree, making sure that the collar of its root is flush or slightly above the natural grade of the soil.
6. Remove foreign materials from the tree’s root ball.
7. Fill the hole with the soil you dug out prior, ensuring even coverage.
8. Stake the tree to settle it in the ground if necessary.
9. Ass 2-3 inches of mulch and a drip line to the tree without touching the trunk.
10. Add pine bark, wood chips, hay, or leaf litter to the soil to prevent weeds and maintain an optimal soil temperature until the tree takes hold. Organic mulch is the best as they retain moisture in the soil and add nutrients as they decompose.
11. Water the tree throughout the first and second growing seasons by soaking it with a TreeGator Bag every 5-7 days.
12. Shield the tree from animal damage and vandalism.
13. It is a bad decision to fertilize the tree in the growing season. If necessary, use a root stimulant. Too much nitrogen can burn the fragile roots of trees, slowing establishment and growth.

Superthrive | Newly Planted or Transplanted Trees

Superthrive is beneficial to transplanted trees. It can also improve crop yield, boost lawn health, and support plant growth outdoors/indoors.