Our new playgrounds often have around 15-25 new trees planted. The first few years after a tree is newly planted mark the most vulnerable years, so we support watering by equipping each tree with a “Tree Gator” bag.

The bag is donut shaped (in my opinion, the bags should be called Tree Donuts!), with a slot on the outside for a hose to fit into to fill the bag. The bottom of the bag is perforated to allow the water to slowly seep out over the course of 10 hours. This allows the tree to absorb more water, prevents evaporation, mitigates puddles and runoff, and lessons the time you have to stand with the hose over the tree pit.

The tree gator tag hides the slot for the hose so we find that many times, well intentioned stewards end up filling the center of the bag…which is just like regular watering.

Here’s a couple more pics to clarify!

The bags should be filled at least once a week in the warm months and in the first months of planting. We are happy to provide a water hose that reaches all your trees and a hose cart with a crank for storage. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns!

Pro Tip: It’s a good idea to periodically check the gap between the tree and the donut-shaped bag for litter.