Oceanside CA— April 29 is National Arbor Day and the City of Oceanside would like to remind its residents and businesses to water the trees. Since Oceanside’s conservation efforts exceeded the mandates, the state now requires a 12 percent water savings from Oceanside, down from the 20 percent that was required last year. With the change in the mandate, residents and businesses should water their trees.
“Oceanside’s water conservation efforts have been phenomenal,” said Cari Dale, Oceanside’s Water Utilities Director. “However, many trees are in distress. California is still in a drought and water restrictions are in effect, but with the state now requiring a 12 percent water savings instead of 20 percent, everyone needs to water their trees to keep them healthy and vibrant.”
Trees are important to our environment. They clean the air, provide oxygen, combat climate change, conserve energy and save water. As a member of Tree City USA, Oceanside recognizes the importance of its trees and wants to ensure that they remain healthy.
“Trees are such an important asset to our community and neighborhoods,” added Dale. “We need to make every effort to help them survive the drought.”
The City of Oceanside offers these tips to help your drought-stressed tree recover:
- Mulch 4-6 inches around your tree, but keep the mulch from touching the tree trunk. The mulch will insulate the soil and help provide a buffer from heat and cold temperatures. Also, the mulch will retain water and keep the roots moist.
- Water mature trees deeply and slowly 1 to 2 times per month.
- Young trees need 5 gallons of water 2-4 times per week.
- Do not over-prune trees. Too much pruning combined with the drought will add additional stress to your tree.
For more information, please visit www.SaveWaterOceanside.com.