Residents are being asked to help water the borough’s newly planted trees following the recent drought conditions.

Ealing Council recently planted 1,500 new trees across the borough and its contractors are scheduled to regularly water these trees. But despite recent rainfall, additional watering would be helpful.

The council is investing £3million in planting 50,000 trees and working to increase the tree canopy to 25%, to help make local streets and open spaces beautiful and resilient and fight climate crisis.

Councillor Deirdre Costigan, cabinet member for climate action, said: “We really appreciate the help from residents, and their great community spirit. The trees outside our homes are pretty easy to water, and many residents do this already, but those in our parks also struggle as competition from grass and other vegetation quickly dries the soil.

“Maybe you could take an extra bottle of water next time you visit one of our parks and give a tree a drink.”

If the ground is wet and soggy there is no need to water, although the rainfall isn’t always sufficient to satisfy newly planted trees.

A few tips

• Ideally, try to give at least 1-2 watering cans per watering – although anything you can manage is great.
  The best time to water is either in the early morning or in the evening.
• Tap water, rainwater or even dishwater is fine. Please make sure no chemicals stronger than washing-up liquid are in the mix.
• If there’s a black watering tube at the base of the tree, please pour water into it, if it’s easier, just slowly pour the water around the trunk, letting the water soak deep into the soil and ensuring that it doesn’t run off across the hard ground.
• Please ask your neighbours and friends to get involved.       

Tree accolade for Ealing

The borough was awarded Tree City of the World status earlier this year. The council plants a wide variety of tree species across the borough meaning there is great diversity of species across many areas in Ealing, from lime and oak, to cherry, maple, sorbus and apple.

Regular inspection, maintenance and pruning is carried out where required by the council’s parks team on a three-year rotation.