Watering the red beech

• Red beech origin
• Red beech care and location
• Pruning beech
• Watering the red beech
• Fertilizing the common beech

Red beech origin

The common beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a deciduous tree and belongs to the beech family. It is widespread in Europe and grows mainly in medium to high altitudes in the southern and central European mountains. The common beech can grow up to 40 m tall and live up to 600 years.

In mythology, the red beech was often seen as a symbol of peace, serenity and harmony. It was also used as a medicinal plant and was listed by Egyptian priests as the most important medicinal plant. In some cultures, the red beech was also seen as a means of driving away evil spirits and fulfilling dreams and hopes.

The flowers of the common beech are small and inconspicuous and appear before the leaves in spring. The male flowers are arranged in the leaf axils and form long, reddish-brown catkins. The female flowers are arranged singly or in pairs in the leaf axils and form small, green buds.
The common beech is known for its yellow to reddish leaves in autumn. The leaves are about 5 to 10 cm long and 2 to 5 cm wide. They are lanceolate and have a smooth, green surface. They sit on long, thin stems and are arranged symmetrically. In autumn the leaves turn yellow to red and fall off.
The fruits of the common beech are called beechnuts and are two-part wingnuts that are about 3,5 to 4,5 cm long and up to 15 mm wide. Each part of the fruit contains a small, spherical nut. The wingnuts are harvested from September to October and serve as food for birds and other animals.

Red beech care and location

The red beech prefers a sunny to partially shaded location with a moist and warm climate. The soil should be permeable, calcareous and rich in nutrients. The red beech does not tolerate waterlogging or soil that is too dry.

Pruning beech

The copper beech is easy to care for and does not require regular pruning. Any necessary pruning should be carried out on a frost-free winter day. Pruning during flowering and budding can lead to heavy bleeding. A lot of sap containing nutrients and storage substances comes out of the cuts of the copper beech, which serves to supply the plant.

Watering the red beech

The red beech has deep roots and should be watered rarely, but intensively and thoroughly. The soil should never dry out completely, as this can lead to the death of the fine roots. The red beech prefers a humid climate and cannot tolerate prolonged water shortages. Climate change has an impact on nature and many trees suffer from the hot and dry periods, which can mean that more frequent watering is necessary. Young red beeches are sensitive to water shortages and should be watered regularly. Fully grown trees usually do not need to be watered, but it is recommended that they be watered at least once a week during dry periods. The water requirements of a red beech depend on various factors such as the length of the dry period and the condition of the tree. As a guideline, young red beeches need 75 to 100 liters of water per watering and older trees 200 liters.

When watering with a garden hose, a lot of water is lost through seepage or evaporation. tree bath watering bag is watered more efficiently and water is saved at the same time. The irrigation bags have two small holes that release the water evenly and over several hours as drip irrigation into the soil. This means that the water is better absorbed by the roots and the irrigation bags simultaneously cover the surface of the soil and prevent water from evaporating. The irrigation bag is placed around the tree trunk like a jacket and closed with the zip. The bag is then filled with a few liters of water and straightened again until all folds in the lower area that could block the water have disappeared.
For larger tree trunks, several bags can be connected together.

Fertilizing red beech trees

A mulch layer of bark compost in the root area of ​​the copper beech helps to retain moisture in the soil. Young and newly planted copper beeches should fertilized Young beech trees are fertilized with compost when they are planted and in the spring of the first few years. Older trees provide themselves with nutrients through their deep roots.