As the temperatures climb into the 90s and above, most trees require more water, but more water means more costs. One helpful tip is to modify soaker hoses to save a few dollars. Soaker hoses are notorious for non-uniform watering. Meaning you often receive too much water from one part of the hose and not enough from the other part.
Patchy water application may not affect smaller trees, as the soaker will circle the tree several times, but can affect larger trees. For more uniform watering, Extension specialists suggest hooking the beginning and end of the soaker hose to a y-adapter to equalize pressure and provide more uniform watering. The parts needed are just a y-adapter and a female- to-female connector. If the y-adapter has shutoff valves so the volume of flow can be controlled, that can also be helpful. Too high of a flow rate can allow water to run off rather than soak in to the soil.
