Tree Canteen - Urban Forestry Services, Inc.

Tree Canteen

Full View of Tree Canteen - Urban Forestry Services, Inc.

Guarantee good tree root establishment and long-term survival with a tree canteen! The tree canteen permits fast watering while slowly soaking the rootball, which is nearly impossible after soils have settled and hardened.

The tree canteen is made of a 4 or 6 inch diameter PVC sewer or drainage pipe, about four feet long. A cap is put on one end, and one or two small holes are drilled through the bottom edge of the cap, about 1/8 inch in diameter. A cotter pin is slipped through the hole and butterflied. This makes the water gurgle out, instead of squirt out of the hole.
Close-Up of Tree Canteen - Urban Forestry Services, Inc.

Close-Up of Tree Canteen - Urban Forestry Services, Inc.

Now stand the tube, cap down, next to your new tree. Fasten it to the tree with chainlock tree tie. Fill the tubes quickly with water and let the water slowly trickle over the rootball while your crew moves on to the next tree. Refill again if possible.

Most importantly, the tree canteen soaks the rootball completely, which is absolutely critical during the first year’s growth, while new roots are pushing out to new soil. Anther advantage is that tree canteens are simple watering reminders to crews. This is especially critical when newer trees are placed among established trees throughout a city. Also, they are cheap and can be used over and over again. They are hard to vandalize and not worth stealing. And finally, if white is too flashy, paint them black. They are easy to make, but if you prefer, contact Urban Forestry Services, Inc. for additional assistance.