There is a new home building project underway next to our church. As the builders have put in landscaping, I noticed several Treegator® irrigation bags installed around newly planted trees. I see them in lots of places around town.

I used Treegator® bags to water new trees in my gardens for over fifteen years and was quite pleased with them. A single bag, holding up to 15 gallons, can drip water around a trunk up to four inches in diameter. Zipping two bags together doubles the capability. I could dissolve fertilizer in the bag, saving time and effort to perform both tasks together. I varied the amount of water depending on the needs of the specific tree. Treegator® was a valuable tool in my gardening arsenal.

Experts recommend this kind of supplemental irrigation for newly planted trees. Many say to continue for two to three years until they are sufficiently established.

CAUTION: Several years ago I left a Treegator® around a thriving ‘Forest Pansy’ redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’) over the winter. Chalk it up to laziness, inattention, or forgetfulness. Whatever the cause, I noticed in spring that there were no buds appearing when they should have. I finally removed the Treegator® and discovered the area around the trunk was alive with various hungry critters. The trunk was girdled. I had created a cozy winter home for those critters, and my beautiful ‘Forest Pansy’ redbud was dead. It was NOT the fault of the Treegator®. The fault, dear Brutus, was mine.

LESSON LEARNED: When you finish the drip, remove the Treegator® to another tree or the shed.