Don't forget to care for your trees during the drought

/
IMG_6517.jpeg

During our drought, remember that trees – especially young trees – need watering any time it doesn’t rain an inch in a week. Under the sprinkling restrictions, tree watering is allowed with a dripping hose, bucket or tree watering bag as needed.

Yard and boulevard trees need water

Minneapolis yard and boulevard trees need an inch of water every week all through the summer-fall season. Lack of water can make trees vulnerable to insects and disease and cause permanent damage to young and old trees alike. Trees up to five years old are especially susceptible. The Park Board plants and mulches boulevard trees but relies on residents or businesses nearby to water them.

An effective way to water a tree is to turn on a slow stream of water (just so the hose is weeping) for a few hours. Watering in the evening is most effective since it minimizes evaporation, and trees tend to take most of their water during the night. Watering one tree weekly costs only about $3 for 23 weeks – the entire summer-fall season. For people who lose track of when they last watered a tree, a good way to remember is to water trees on the same day trash is picked up.

Protect our Minneapolis quality of life

Taking care of our trees means protecting our Minneapolis quality of life. Healthy trees are beautiful, increase property values, help improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases by absorbing carbon dioxide, save energy, keep the city cooler, provide homes for wildlife and help manage stormwater. If you have space in your yard to plant a tree, consider getting one going so it can get a start on providing shade and making a better quality of life in your neighborhood. The larger the tree, the larger the benefits.

For information on tree care and the urban forest, call the Park Board’s Forestry Department at 612-313-7710, email forestry@minneapolisparks.org or visit www.minneapolisparks.org/trees.

—via City of Minneapolis

Even-odd water sprinkling restrictions in effect in response to drought

/

The City of Minneapolis has implemented even-odd water sprinkling restrictions until further notice. The city is now included in a drought warning as defined by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Drought Action Plan.

The Mississippi River has reliably provided the City of Minneapolis with drinking water for over 150 years. The City assures the public of its continued ability to produce sufficient quantities of high quality water for its residents and wholesale customers. The City’s sprinkling restrictions are in place to help reduce demand on the Mississippi River during the ongoing drought. Other metro cities have similar measures in place.   

Sprinkling restrictions

  • Sprinkling lawns is NOT allowed from noon to 6 p.m. on any day.

  • On calendar days that are even numbers (examples: July 26 or Aug. 18), the even side of the street CAN sprinkle lawns outside of the noon to 6 p.m. time window. Examples: 1238 Oak St. or 2574 Cedar Ave.

  • On calendar days that are odd numbers (examples July 27 or Aug. 19), the odd side of the street CAN sprinkle lawns. Examples: 1247 Maple St. or 2561 18th Ave.

Learn more

—via City of Minneapolis