Gardening Myths: Watering Stakes

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[@ROlson-dx2jc]

Right on. It's important to understand how water moves through soil. I always respect your guidelines.

[@BigHue37]

You are the Oliver Anthony to these local nurseries pointing out all their BS gimmicks. Thanks for the awesome content and being a voice for new and all serious gardeners alike. 🇺🇸

[@kso808]

Such an interesting discussion of roots and water! I don’t think I’ve ever used watering stakes.

[@growyourownavocados]

One of my favorite videos ever! I see a lot of videos with lots of products being used and I don't understand why people buying all those things.

[@danieljohnson2781]

Would like to see a test of using drip irrigation in the stake rather than trying to shove a hose in it. I think dripper in the stack is the recommended best practice.

[@qctropicals]

if youre using drip, what's the point then?

[@ZE308AC]

You are correct about water stakes because I never used one to water my plants 🪴 and most of my plants are still alive. Thank you for exposing these gardening hacks. 👍

[@matthewmusselwhite591]

I only wish I watched this 2 weeks ago…. BEFORE I bought to stupid spikes. Makes complete sense. Thank you!!

[@Ghost_png_]

Happy you made this video . Saved my trees & my $$$ Thank You !!

[@unionse7en]

just scratch a shallow circular trench at about the root ball diameter, cover /fill with coarse mulch of any kind (can be rocks) then water in that ring, mulch makes any evaporation negligible.

[@wesp2537]

He has a point when it comes to this specific watering stake. However the ideology behind it isn't wrong. 1- it's more beneficial with young trees with bigger root balls and not small plants. 2- you would need a way longer pipe which you don't need to stake. 3- the hole needs to be even deeper than the usual 2x than the root ball. 4- You're supposed to bury the pipe with the tree then backfill with well amended soil not stake it in after planting the tree. There's more to this method but this was more or less how it is. I'm all for calling out misinformation but do it thoroughly and either direct people to the right info or give them the right info. Good video though. 7:05

[@qctropicals]

nothing beats a hose... i don't understand why people over complicate things.

[@sharonloomis5264]

That pipe is too small.

[@orangetuono38]

Your points are valid. You MUST water the shallow roots, the stakes are not a replacement. Personally I put a couple watering stakes at the drip line w/ 6 g/hr drippers, AND also drippers under the drip line. The whack mantra of "deep water once/week" being applied in every situation is completely whack. I did make my own from 1" PVC and slotted with an angle grinder for about a $1 each. Great channel, keep'em coming!!

[@SCPorchGardner]

Thanks man, ive been looking at all your vids and i automatically hit like without wven watching the video first. Youre great.

[@qctropicals]

Great beards think alike :)

[@SCPorchGardner]

@@qctropicals yes sir!

[@populistparty2010]

You made some really good points and I'm going to revise my plans, rethinking the watering stakes. One thing I hadn't thought about was that it is not only water that the plants need, but oxygen....and with my clay soil that is a challenge. You talked about the inability for plants/soil to absorb water from a pan, or even below the root ball, when you have high temps. My tomato plants have been suffering, in spite of plenty of water every day, so much water that there is often sitting water in the saucers. But sticking my fingers in the soil in certain areas it is bone dry! It's been makin' me crazy! Right now trying to make sure the apple trees I planted a few years ago have what they need to thrive. Btw. talking about water.....I sure hope your cute dog is getting enough! He looks like he could use some!

[@OfftoShambala]

You are a great resource… yes, a lot of nurseries aren’t very helpful, I won’t name names… but, a lot of newbies seem to blank out at first… in their defense… I can totally vouch for berridge nursery and their prices are in line with other nurseries… it’s best to shop around, each nursery has it’s good deals

[@ZE308AC]

Can you expose those diaper rings that are placed over the tree roots or soil?

[@qctropicals]

diaper rings lol, what's the actual name?

[@riveryzen]

@@qctropicals, the individual might be referring to the tree watering rings or a variation called tree watering bags.

[@qctropicals]

@@riveryzen Interesting, I just checked them out. To be honest at least those do hold a good amount of water and do saturate the soil. May not hold enough water for older trees but would work on younger trees. Only problem I see with those is; those bags will not last in direct sun light and for the price, cheaper to install drip irrigation. Maybe I'll do a review to show pros and cons.

[@ZE308AC]

@@qctropicals thank you I really appreciate it

[@ZE308AC]

@@qctropicals Vego garden Raised Garden Bed 8” Tall Tree Surround with Watering Ring, Olive Green

[@danielfisch655]

Thank you for saving me money so I can buy more trees.

[@norazapien8878]

I would think that is why you put 3 stakes per tree and you water through your drip system. NOT the water hose.

[@qctropicals]

If using a drip system, what's the point of using the stake? deep water? geez common sense is NOT common anymore.

[@norazapien8878]

@qctropicals if you don't understand why you would use the stake with the drip system I'm not about to explain.

[@qctropicals]

@@norazapien8878 I was being sarcastic...Using the stakes is stupid period. If you believe otherwise, U.S is still a free country :) .

[@koreymayo8884]

You should've mentioned the solution is drip irrigation rings around each tree

[@qctropicals]

drip irrigation in general.

[@imcringe9122]

Thank you for saving me some money!

[@samuelsandoval]

If you water long enough, will this work efficiently?

[@qctropicals]

nay as well water from the top

[@samuelsandoval]

@@qctropicals gotcha. Thanks for the reply. I was thinking of putting a small 8 inch stake next to my vegetable plants to do a double method. A drip line going into the stake and a small 1/4”soaker hose coiling twice around the plant. Do you think it’s a bad idea? I live in Colorado. It’s not as hot as you describe where you’re at. I would like to set up a schedule to water every other day or possibly only three times per week. I don’t want to overwater my plants but want to do as much as possible to give a close to perfect watering.

[@lorenbush8876]

Will mangos, and apples like Fuji Pink Lady Red deslicious grow well there where you live? Thanks

[@qctropicals]

yes they do. For apple, low chill varieties since we don't get cold that long here. I have review videos of my mangos in the channel.

[@colincook2910]

Most tree roots are in the top 12 inches of soil. After that depth you run into issues with lack of oxygen in the soil, and so you get veryyyyy few roots going deeper (depends on the soil type of course). Not saying I like these stakes, but most soils in everyday life are not gonna encourage root depth past 2 feet

[@qctropicals]

that would be another gardening myth, My 5 gallon pots are 12 inches deep. 25 gallons about 2ft?. I have several videos showing roots longer than that.

[@colincook2910]

@@qctropicals those are well draining, well aerated “soils”. In urban forestry you typically are dealing with compacted soils and true mineral soils, which depending on the amount of clay and compaction get anerobic very quickly. Of course if you live in a well drained, loose, non urban soil you can get roots going much deeper, but in everyday gardening life almost no one has that

[@qctropicals]

@@colincook2910 my soil is clay. All I do is what you call "everyday gardening". Roots do grow deeper than 2 ft especially tap rooted plants.

[@xnetc9]

Mulch/Woodchip then deep water every few days.

[@johnvandelft6813]

Most roots are in the top 18" and need Oxygen. Watering stakes don't work and if they did, would just suffocate your roots from the bottom up. Roots need O2 as well, thank you for making this video to debunk the ridiculous videos floating around KZbin.

[@DennisRichardH]

I guess what you are really saying is, the watering stake is a watering mistake?

[@qctropicals]

waste of money

[@slowpoke4557]

Agreed, but did you have to be so dramatic and loud at the beginning?

[@martinmurphy9679]

Being screwed by greedsters that couldn't care less whether your plant lives or dies makes people angry. That was the whole point of this video. Alan is trying to help us from being taken for a ride.

[@slowpoke4557]

@@martinmurphy9679 I know this and also appreciate it very much. I was merely asking if he had to be so loud and dramatic about it at the beginning..... like I initially asked.

[@Realatmx]

If you don't like don't watch.. At least be polite wat you saying in comment

[@slowpoke4557]

@Realatmx how is one to know if they like a video or not without watching it? My comment was not meant to be rude or belittling in any way, either. And could you use English, please?

[@slowpoke4557]

I just rewatched the intro, and now it made me chuckle. 🤷‍♂️ maybe I was having an off day that day?

[@snorinsonoran]

Leaf cutter ants are stripping all of my plants. SoS

[@qctropicals]

smear wax around the base of the trunk. That will keep them from climbing. Make sure no branches are touching the ground or other trees.

[@snorinsonoran]

@@qctropicals Thank you! I will do this tomorrow.

[@mrfonz8034]

It’s called a drip Watering system, you use drip system not watering system 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@cjc821]

Omg this guy is a fool

[@qctropicals]

thank you