When we planted several trees in the winter of 2023/2024 I invested in some Baumbad watering “rings” for summer to make watering the trees easier. Baumbad also offers large stand-up watering bags but I figured flat rings on the ground around the trees’ trunks would work better for us here.
I was more or less satisfied with the watering performance of about 50l over 24 hours but in hindsight I would not buy them again because:
- The rings never empty:
There are only two small water outlets on the underside of the rings. According to Baumbad the ring is supposed to empty itself over 7 hours. In my garden the rings took up to two days to reach a state of “pretty empty” but there was always a sizable amount of water left inside. This water is impossible to evacuate because the ring does not have a drain valve. So you have to store them for the winter with water still inside.
- Uneven distribution of water:
With only two outlets the water is not evenly distributed around the tree – three to four spouts would be better.
- Hot water:
On hot summer days the dark brown color of the rings causes the water to heat up considerably which cannot be that good for plants. I covered them with white cloth or light colored mulch to lessen that effect.
- Difficult to fill:
There is only one inlet for water at one end, making it difficult to fill the whole ring to its entire potential of 55 liters, especially if the ground around the tree is not entirely level.
The inlet is also not fitted with an adapter for hose connection so that you have to stand or crouch there, pushing the hose nozzle into the inlet with one hand while holding up that end of the ring with the other hand so the water doesn’t flow right back out. Since it takes quite a few minutes to fill the ring that is quite strenuous.
I offered Baumbad my feedback but I see that after a year nothing has changed.
Strange Watering Advice
In addition I was annoyed by weird advice on the Baumbad website recommending giving trees a 50-100l Baumbad watering twice a week. If you have a tree that needs that much water you picked the wrong tree for your garden.
Our local and experienced gardener advised to water deeply but not too often. Once every three weeks in the first summer and two to three times between June and September in the following years. And to water more only during prolonged droughts or if the tree shows signs of distress.
Alternatives for Tree Watering
There are other solutions to water trees efficiently and effectively.
Some buckets of water poured around the tree all at once is better than nothing but also not optimal. It is important to water slowly and persistently (like a good rain) because that gives the soil and the tree time to absorb the water.
To do this, form a good size depression around the tree trunk (when planting). To give a deep watering put a slightly dripping hose in there and leave it dripping for one to two – you can move the hose every once in a while to distribute water around the tree.
Measure the time it takes to fill up a watering can with the same amount of flow to get a good idea of how much water you’re giving your tree.
You can also use a bucket with two or three very small holes in the bottom. Fill it up with water and put it next to the tree until it’s empty.
Cover the cuvette with deep mulch over the summer to minimize evaporation.
After a few years cuvettes won’t be that effective anymore because the trees roots will spread out along with its crown. Watering next to the trunk will then be better than nothing but it won’t be effectively watering the whole tree. Hose or bucket watering must then be spread out around the tree to the width of its crown and ideally the whole area would be mulched or covered with low-growing ground cover.
Some people also use plastic pipes, open-ended or with small holes at the ends, stuck deeply into the soil around the tree’s roots while planting. Water can be poured into the pipe and it will reach the roots directly.
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