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TIL a 120 year old maple can drink 100 gallons a day, found it in an old extension bulletin
Was looking up root flare stuff for a job in Portland last month and stumbled on a 1920s extension service PDF. It said mature maples pull up to 100 gallons daily in peak season. I always figured maybe 20 or 30. That changed how I think about watering jobs on big trees, especially drought years. Has anyone else run into older research that still holds up or even surprises you?
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ben_lewis9d ago
Check the root zone before you assume the tree needs that much. I've seen big maples on clay soils sit in soggy ground for days after a light rain. The 100 gallon number is for ideal conditions, not every urban lot. Deep soak once a week beats a little water every day. Old bulletins usually talk about mature trees in open fields, not ones fighting for space with sidewalks and lawns. If you're bidding a job, measure the canopy and go with 10 gallons per inch of trunk. That's been closer to real life for me.
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