Residents who want to help care for Portsmouth’s local environment are being invited to take one simple action this summer: giving an extra bucket of water to a newly planted tree near them when they can.
Portsmouth City Council is currently watering more than 2,000 young trees across the city every week. The trees are located from Paulsgrove and Leigh Park to Southsea and Milton and are watered by council teams and contractors as part of their establishment programme.
The council is asking for this specific support because prolonged hot, dry weather means newly planted trees would benefit from additional watering from local communities.
Young trees need extra care during their first three years while their roots become established. Without enough water during periods of extreme heat, they can struggle to survive.
Cllr Kimberly Barrett, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Greening the City, said:
Trees are one of our most valuable assets. They help improve air quality, reduce flooding, provide shade and make our neighbourhoods greener and healthier places to live.
Our teams and contractors are already working hard to water more than 2,000 young trees across Portsmouth every week. The exceptionally dry weather we’ve experienced this summer means those resources are being stretched across a large number of sites, so additional support from residents could make a real difference.
If you have a newly planted tree near your home, workplace or on your regular walking route, please consider giving it a bucket of water when you can. This is a simple, specific way to help young trees become established and continue benefiting Portsmouth for years to come.
Residents can identify newly planted trees by looking for those that still have one or two support stakes beside them.
Where possible, residents are encouraged to use harvested rainwater, bath water or water left over from washing up. Watering is best carried out in the early morning or evening.
If the tree has a watering pipe, half the water should be poured down the pipe and half onto the soil around the tree. If it has a watering bag, the bag should be filled.
The ask is limited to watering newly planted council trees. It does not include planting new trees, pruning, staking, moving or carrying out any other work on trees or council land.
