Treegator Jr. Pro Slow Release Watering Bag for Trees and Shrubs

I bought this collar from Amazon because my original vendor of choice, A.M. Leonard, was sold out of them.This collar works well, applying water at a slow rate around a newly planted shrub. There are 2 nozzles at the bottom of this collar, I wish there were 4. Because there are 2 nozzles, I feel I have to move the collar around the shrub 90 degrees, before filling it with water, to make sure the planting area is kept evenly moist. Moving and positioning the collar at ground level is not easy.In the first year of its use, the first 2 weeks after planting the shrub, I filled the collar every 2 days. Afterward, I would fill it every 3 days, unless it significantly rained (1/2 inch or more). I kept this routine throughout the summer and fall, until the first freeze. I cleaned the nozzles from debris that accumulated from the mulch and stored the collar indoors for the winter. I am using it again to water the same shrub this year. The collar so far is still in its original condition -- very sturdy.Filling the collar is not hard until it is 70% full. At that point, you have to lift up the end with the filling hole in order to get in as much water as possible. When full, it looks like an overly fat doughnut. Closing the hole with the attached cover takes a bit of strength. Some water will rush out, and you will get wet.So far it's doing its job -- the shrub looks like it is growing well. I recommend this product.

I love this device. It does exactly what it says it does. Fill it with 15 gallons of water and it slowly drains over 6-8 hours with no water run off. Its built very sturdy. I have read some people complaining that it takes long to fill or is difficult to fill. Nonsense. It literally takes 60 seconds to fill it with my garden hose. Some have complained that you have to lift one end up with the provided handle to fill it? Come now people. This is not difficult, my 10 year old can do it. I would highly recommend this and will buy another one when I plant my next tree. One thing... make sure that you have your tree mulched and as level as possible. If your tree is on a hill, use the mulch to level it as it will make sure that the bag drains completely. Great for newly planted trees and so easy to set your watering on a schedule with this. When its empty, you can easily fold it back up and enjoy your landscaping until next watering.

Just planted about a dozen conifers and another dozen deciduous trees around a newly landscaped parking lot. The standard Treegators were great for the deciduous trees but, because of their vertical displacement, couldn't be used around the pines. So, I ordered the Treegator junior whose lower profile promised to work better under the lower branches of the pines.It turns out that junior version mostly works as expected and I am pleased. However, because the bladder is essentially flat (very little vertical displacement), the land on which it is placed must either be perfectly flat or bowled around the tree with the low part of the bowl closest to the trunk. Otherwise, the water will not empty out of the bladder but will remain above the ports or it will empty but run off the sides of the mound. My trees were originally planted an a slight hillside and bark was mounded, volcano like, around the trunk. I had to pull the bark away from the trunk (probably a good thing anyhow) and form bowls with it in order for the Junior to work as planned. Also, even as low to the ground as the junior is it will still modestly difficult to get around the lowest branches of my trees.Still, a pretty good product in all and one I have no trouble recommending for use with new pines.

As we're in the middle of an extreme drought, and subject to water restrictions, this has been a great find. We're in a new home and the ground under the sod layer is very hard, so the sprinkler system and hand water tends to run off toward lower areas--often to the neighbor's yard. The slow release gives the plants a chance to get their fair share. The issue of un-level ground, which we have, is not too hard to compensate for by giving thought to the location of the water exit valves--1) both on an even plane and propping up the low side of the bag, or 2) placing one valve on the lowest level so it will completely empty. For leveling purposes one can use mulch, or what has helped me out is an oversized dustpan which, when upside down, becomes a large wedge with a handle. Works great. Of course, it depends on the degree of leveling necessary. I bought one Treegator Junior Pro, which I rotate around from trees to shrubs, but have the regular Treegator on order. The Junior is nice in that it has a low profile and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in the front yard. I have placed it over some ground cover that is close to the trees and it hasn't adversely affected either the Gator or the plants, that I can tell. Once the bag is empty, it gets moved relatively soon. I guess I'll have to use a soaker hose on the mature trees--which we are being cautioned to water, as the lack of water causes them to become very brittle, and break. Can't have that. I highly recommend this product. One thing though, I called the company with a question, and my call was never returned.