How much water for an inground fig?

[shevitz]

I’m moving this discussion to a new thread. I have a 6’ wide x 5’ tall tree in ground. I live in the desert with no rain, sandy soil, temps around 90 atm, and rock mulch over landscaping fabric. I’d like to hear opinions on how much water this tree needs a week. I’ve been giving it something like 10 gallons and the brebas are dropping although the tree looks healthy.

There are lots of AI answers, and possibly even a fig calculator online, but I have searched the archives and really haven’t found anything in this forum so I thought I would come to the experts.

Doing the math, a 6’ circle with 1.5” per week comes out to something like 17.5 gallons.

Also what circle would you water within?

Thanks!

 

[387PETE]

Growing in the desert I would think black landscape fabric and rocks would hold a lot of heat . I would use a 4 to 6 inch layer of wood chips, around 3 to 4 ft circle around the tree.

 

[Charlie Dodgson]

Also what circle would you water within?

At least 6 foot diameter, with perimeter to contain a thick layer of wood chips as recommended by Pete. The evaporation rate is high in your location, so the water should be delivered quickly to sink in -- not by soaker hose. I use four Orbit 1/4 pattern Stream Bubbler heads per tree basin, mounted just inside the perimeter. They are programmed to come on twice per week for 8 minutes. The quantity of water delivered is intended to match our local evapotranspiration rate.

 

[Motherwise]

What time of day are you watering? I am definitely not an expert but in our area we have to water very early in am or late evening to avoid the rapid evaporation or steam killing the plants.

 

[paupau]

At least 6 foot diameter, with perimeter to contain a thick layer of wood chips as recommended by Pete. The evaporation rate is high in your location, so the water should be delivered quickly to sink in -- not by soaker hose. I use four Orbit 1/4 pattern Stream Bubbler heads per tree basin, mounted just inside the perimeter. They are programmed to come on twice per week for 8 minutes. The quantity of water delivered is intended to match our local evapotranspiration rate.

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would drip emitters below the mulch help with that?