Get Free Tree Care Alerts, Rain Gauges, and Watering Supplies from Casey Trees

The Casey Trees Foundation is offering free alerts to help anyone who has young trees nearby that need care.  These include city-planted trees, which, once planted, require watering from nearby property owners.

Beginning May 2 and lasting through September, Casey Trees will issue weekly watering recommendations as part of its 25 to Stay Alive campaign. The alerts notify residents of the week’s rain forecast and encourage them to water trees on and surrounding their property in times of little or no rainfall.

Each Monday morning Casey Trees will post its watering recommendations its website and on its Facebook and Twitter accounts throughout the spring and summer. Precipitation and streamflow data determine the conditions — Dry, Normal or Wet — and the associated watering recommendations — Water, Additional Watering Optional, or No Additional Watering Needed, respectively.

Trees, especially those that have been in the ground less than three years, need 25 gallons of water, equivalent to approximately a 1.5” rainfall event, a week to become established and thrive.

Casey Trees’ "25 to Stay Alive" campaign aims to educate residents of the importance of watering trees, when and how to properly water and to provide them with the supplies to make watering easier and less time consuming.


In addition to following Casey Trees’ online watering recommendations, residents can track weekly rainfall totals at home with complimentary rain gauges, which Casey Trees mails to residents who sign the online tree watering pledge at www.caseytrees.org/iwatermytrees. The rain gauges help residents determine when they need to water their trees. If less than 1.5 inches of rain falls, residents should water their trees the recommended 25 gallons of water.

Casey Trees also provides free slow-release watering bags to make watering trees less time-consuming for DC residents. Each irrigation bag holds the recommended 25 gallons of water, shortens watering time, allows air circulation around the trunk and reduces water runoff. Ooze Tubes may be picked up during normal business hours from Casey Trees’ Brookland headquarters at 3030 12th Street NE.

Residents are also encouraged to mulch their trees to keep soil moist and discourage summer weeds. Individuals should apply using the 3-3-3 Rule: three inches of mulch in a three-foot ring with a three-inch space around the trunk. Additional tree care and planting techniques can be found at www.caseytrees.org/resources.