OK -- I can take a hint...no one else has tried these.
O well!
ML

You can try the drought forum. :) I never heard of them before!

Here is a link that might be useful: Drought Forum: Aqua Cones

Hi ML,

Personally, I'd keep the money and build a high dirt water well around each shrub. Just had 14' betula nigra heritage trees installed and each one has a water well that is about 6" tall. I fill them twice a week and walk away. I build water wells because that way the shrub/tree's root ball is being watered 360 degrees - not just a one shot deal from a liter bottle - better distribution and it works. Cheap, easy, and has worked for years.

Kindly,
Jane (CT)

Hi Jane.

Whenever I build dirt water wells, they wash away shortly after I make them. Tell me how you build yours, please!

Thx,
ML

Mayalena,
Joe found a tree gator along the side of the road one year and brought it home as a present to me! It works well for what you are talking about and they now make a shorter donut shaped version for shrubs. I am not certain of the cost but they are going to last a life time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tree Gator

IÂm sure I make a dirt berm the same way as you do, ML, with a thick, solidly packed high wall around the crown of the plant/tree. The difference in the Âwash-away effect may be that I have a high clay content in the soil and IÂm working on flat landÂdonÂt know your situation. So far, for the past 34 years here, dirt berms have worked long enough  several months  to safely help establish all the plants. Last month I had two 12 tall clumps of Betula Nigra Heritage put in and the dirt berms are about 6" high and I planted WalkerÂs Low Catmint and white Echinacea in the berm not just for eye appeal, but to help hold the berm in place longer.

I also read ktÂs info about Tree Gator, which is new to me, and think thatÂs a good invention and suggestion. The price I found for them on ebay is roughly $16 Â (can you tell itÂs a rainy Sunday morning at the computer?, lol). Good deal for a shrub or a few, but IÂve put in more than 65 new shrubs and trees within the past year. If you have a few shrubs and not the time to water often, and think your dirt berms donÂt work, I think ktÂs suggestion would be far better than the cones simply because the Tree Gator covers 360 degrees of the crown.

Separately,Â
You may remember the post "Pining Over Pines" last year which was mine and I remember your kindly given support at that time. Since the huge move of 9 mature rhododendrons, I have added an additional 10 smaller rhodys, about 5 azaleas, 3 Japanese Maples, and a 16Â tall Aristocrat Pear tree, and a Prairie Fire Crabapple all where the pines once stood. Certainly, for this size border and multiple transplantations, soaker hoses were used. Might know, after all the worry and mothering, last year Connecticut received a 13" rain surplus. So much for worrying, they all are loaded with blossoms this year and I will post a picture when they bloom.

Best of luck with the transplanting.

Kindly,

Jane

Good heaven, Jane, you sure don't mess around with little bitty tubes! Instant gratification and a "mature-garden-in-a-very-big-box". Sounds lovely and please post the pictures.

I've never used that many dirt berms, but I have sandy loam soils and I always put wood chips on the berms. Wood chips are great for preventing erosion.

When I worked for the NYC Parks Department, Tree Gators were required for newly planted trees.

Claire