Save water and Santa Ana’s trees during the drought

City of Santa Ana

Community Alert: Save our Water and Trees During the Drought / Conserve Nuestra Agua y Protega Los Árboles Durante La Sequía

With the common goal to be water-wise and maintain our trees healthy during the drought, the City of Santa Ana offers the following educational information to assist residents in this effort.

A common indicator of tree stress due to lack of water to root systems is wilting leaves. A few simple steps can make a difference!

Small and Newly Planted Trees

• Young trees need easier access to water to establish deep root systems.
• Watering with a hose or bucket once or twice a week with about 5 gallons of water will make the difference in the survival of young trees.
• Add four to six inches of mulch to lower soil temperatures and reduce water evaporation.
• For newly planted trees, fill the watering basin and occasionally buffer the basin with soil.

Large and Mature Trees

• Slowly water the “drip zone” area directly beneath the foliage and shaded area by the tree.
• Water once a week with about 5 gallons of water directly into the soil with a hose or bucket.
• A simple watering of 20 minutes, twice a month can save the mature trees.
• Use a “soaker head” with your hose that drips only the slightest of water.
• Add mulch to lower soil temperatures and reduce water evaporation.
• Consider installing a drip watering system that will soak the root system.

Remember the watering of street trees in front of residences and properties is the responsibility of the adjacent property owner.

We can do this! We can save water and our trees!

Additional information on water conservation, how to help your trees survive the drought, and general tree care can be found on the City’s website at:

• http://www.santa-ana.org/waterconservation/
• http://www.santa-ana.org/green/TreeProgram.asp.

Santa Ana Public Works Mobile App…“mySantaAna.” Download our mobile APP MySantaAna via the Itunes app store or Google play store and begin cleaning your neighborhood today!

Residents can download the app using iPhone or Android devices and report public works maintenance service requests for trees, graffiti removal, illegal dumping, and potholes.

Contact: City of Santa Ana Public Works Agency – 714-647-3380

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Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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