Storing water for droughts for my trees......

[PeppermintHen]

Hello and thanks for reading. I just purchased 4 acres of mesquite tree infested land. My plan is to create and design a bird watching landscape for myself and my chickens. Keep in mind this is what I want but doesn't necessarily mean I can have depending on maintenance price if water. Here in San Antonio, TX we get really HOT here, and have droughts here and there, so no water and extreme heat can kill some of the trees I plan on planting. I was thinking since when it rains here it REALLY RAINS, and when it doesn't rain, it just doesn't.
Before I throw money into this, my intention is to buy water reservoirs nice decorative ones and conceal them through my acreage.
Lowes and Home Depot have some disguised as rocks or colored like wood and you hook up a water hose to them and water as you please, but they look kinda small to me and they run $100 each.
When it rains open them up to fill them and use the water throughout the year till rain comes again.
My question is is there a flaw in my plan? Any other suggestions? Anybody else using water reservoirs also but suggest not buying a certain kind. Pros and cons of certain brands.

Thanks -- Yvette

 

[OldGuy43]

The only flaw I see in your plan is that it sounds like you are planning on planting trees that are not native to Central Texas. Why? There are many lovely trees that do well in our climate. Tree Folks has created a list of trees that do well here:

http://treefolks.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tree-Growing-Guide-for-Central-Texas.pdf

 

[SweetSilver]

Simply storage. Rainbarrels and the like are nice for watering here and there. We use them instead of turning on the hose when we need a little bit of water.

I don't know how often it does rain there, but you'll need more.

Mesquite is a nitrogen fixing tree, BTW. In our corner, alder is the replacement for mesquite. It is incredibly weedy and they used to spray when they logged so the precious douglas firs could grow without competition. Now alder is the cash crop. Go figure. Mesquite also shades and cools the ground. Figure out a way to work with it, and that will keep your watering needs to a minimum. I am not from Texas, though, so this is general advice.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I am not sure how you plan to fill the barrels if you are going to conceal them throughout the 4 acres. Unless they are attached to a downspout from a raingutter system on a building, there won't be much water getting into them.

Also, 50 gallons sounds like alot of water, untill you try to use it to grow something. Using rain barrels for suplemental watering is one thing; to use a rainbarrel for all the water needs of a plant planted out of its native environment is totally different.

I would also suggest landscaping and grading to direct runoff during the rainstorms to soak into planted areas for deep watering. You can have standing water around trees for a day or so before damaging the tree, and the deeper the water can soak in, the better it is for the roots. Alot of shallow watering makes for shallow roots that cannot tolerate periods of drought. In my experience, it is better for trees to get good soakings of water that gets teh soil moist deep into the root zone. Also, trees with shallow root systems tend to blow over in wind storms.

 

[Gryphon]

Rain barrels are really only useful if you have a roof of some kind to direct water into them. For massive water storage, you want a cistern, either above ground or underground. Benefits of underground is that you get less evaporation. Of course, underground cisterns can't be anywhere near trees, because their roots will drill right into them over time.

 

[OldGuy43]

You've never actually said. Just what kind of trees are you considering?

 

[lastminutejenny]

What we have done is purchase black 1000 gallon tanks that we store water in. My creative husband has set up a system that captures the water from our basement to fill these tanks. The tanks are located at the rear of our property. If you need help with the concept let me know. We now have three tanks and use the captured water to

water our trees, corn and vegetable garden.

 

[OldGuy43]

For those who don't know about Central Texas the rainfall (30 year average) for San Antonio, Texas is less than 30" per year. There is no firm number as to how much water they need, too many variables. Species, size etc. Some need up to 200 gallons a day, during hot, dry weather to thrive.

, the loss of plant-life in Texas due to the drought may be worse yet. The study did not factor in the millions of trees that perished due to drought-related wildfires, which, in 2011, were particularly damaging.

 

[wyoDreamer]

OldGuy43,

I love that Tree Growing Guide that you linked to.
I wish we had something like that for here in Wyoming. I am having a hard time figuring out what will grow where I am at.

 

[PeppermintHen]

I read "Garden Design Magazine" and one of their issue articles was plants and trees from Australia that could live here if the plant wasn't over crowded and had to complete for nutrients. BUT, since water is an issue which I don't mind accommodating if its done right then I wanted a plan before I bought all these plants and seeds. Since I haven't decided on type of trees yet because I was mainly concerned about making the environment right before deciding, I mean what can you do with a dust bowl and no water which is what it feels like down here when everything is dying. Some of my choices are laughable like the eucalyptus tree and some flowering vines like the parrots beak, but if it is at all possible to store water for maintaining something like this I would like to try. Has anyone else tried to maintain non native plants here in Texas?

My main purpose if for attracting as many species of birds so I can bird watch. So some trees that produce dates, seeds, and sap. Vines for interesting flowers for interesting birds. I'm not one for the desert look of cactuses, sand and small patches of ornamental grass.

I could type more but I will check back in a little bit.
Thanks for everyones input it means a lot.