Big trees use quite a bit of water. The cost of watering these trees must be balanced with the need for cooling. VIEW E-EDITION. 99¢ for 6 mos. Support local journalism. Only 99¢ for 6 months.

Q: We have large old sycamore trees lining our street. I have been told these trees do not have “tap roots” and depend on getting large amounts of water from roots in the top few feet of soil.

In today's "Growing Together" column, Don Kinzler explains how to best help out our plants during a severe drought — including how much water we should give a tree, and how often.

These root systems can access water over large areas, and trees are generally able to absorb the water they need, even during dry spells. But this summer, rain has been severely lacking in many areas.

Although large pine trees provide shade, they require excessive watering to remain healthy. VIEW E-EDITION. 25¢ for 3 mos. ... Large pine trees need extensive deep watering ...

• The amount of water needed for a tree depends on the weather and the tree’s drought tolerance. About one-half to 1 inch of water may be required weekly for shrubs and smaller trees. Large ...