Thorned and flower-bearing like other members of the rose family, hawthorns (Crataegus spp.) Are not prima donnas. Most members of this massive hawthorn clan are short and gnarly, with thorned branches which create impenetrable obstacles, making them favorite hedge plants. Indeed, the term hawthorn derives from “haga,” that the old-English phrase for hedge. In the wild, hawthorn thickets provide shelter and food for wildlife. The abundant spring flowers and glowing, orange-red fruit create hawthorns attractive garden trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8.
Water your hawthorn bush thoroughly when you plant it. Build a short wall of dirt running in a circle round the tree just outside the perimeter of the main ball. Fill with 10 to 15 gallons of water and allow the water to drain into the dirt. In addition to moistening the soil, generous irrigation at planting companies the soil around the hawthorn’s roots. Mulch the plant with several inches of organic compost, taking good care to maintain the mulch from approaching the trunk or foliagethis is going to keep down weeds which would compete with the young tree for water.
Water the hawthorn weekly to get the entire initial growing season. Fill the basin and permit the water to drain through for each irrigation. Alternatively, press on the hose tap into the soil close to the trunk and permit the water to run until it stands on the top layer of the dirt. Should you use the hose at low pressure, operate for about 30 minutes; should you turn the hose to a trickle, count on 2 to 3 hours per tree. You need to provide every single hawthorn with 10 to 15 gallons each time you water, moistening the soil to 12 inches from the drip line. If the bush doesn’t appear vigorous at the commencement of its second summer season, then continue the practice of weekly watering.
Water mature and established hawthorn trees sometimes during dry, hot summers. Although hawthorns can withstand drought, they grow best in moist, well-draining dirt.