Where Is Tree T-Pee Now? A Look After Its Shark Tank Success

Whether you're an avid watcher of the long-running show Shark Tank or purely interested in gardening technology, you may remember the Tree T-Pee. Its creator, Johnny Georges, pitched the water-saving invention to the sharks in season 5 episode 7. The product is a deceptively simple creation that aims to prevent water waste, and Georges' impassioned sales pitch made him popular online. He was mostly pitching to farmers, but as a gardener, the product could be useful for conserving this resource and saving money. 

Different trees have different water requirements , depending on their maturity, but watering them generally requires running a sprinkler until the top 9 inches or so of soil is moist. In particular, fruit trees especially tend to like a lot of water. Wind can easily blow the droplets away from the tree and evaporation can occur before it seeps into the soil, causing waste. While essential to the tree's health and longevity, this can also require a lot of water and, by extension, money. 

The Tree T-Pee, however, helps prevent water waste regardless of the time of day. The cone (made from 100% recycled plastic) goes around the trunk of a tree and a sprinkler, ensuring that the water is directed at the tree's roots instead of spraying in all directions. This can lead to healthier trees and lower water bills. As a bonus, the US-made product also provides frost protection. During a time of rising costs, a product like this may come in handy, but purchasing it requires clearing a small hurdle.

On the show, Georges was hoping for $150,000 in exchange for offering up 20% of the company. While Kevin O'Leary passed on going into business with Georges, believing he was selling his product at too low a price, John Paul DeJoria agreed to become his partner, stating that he liked what Georges stood for. You may have seen The Tree T-Pee in stores like Home Depot back in 2014, but the product isn't currently available there. Don't worry, the product is still around today, but you'll have to call the company to place an order. (And you might just get Mr. Johnny Georges himself on the line!)

The reason you have to call is because there is an order minimum. Viewers, with their hearts in the right place, have tried to support the company with small orders for their yards, but the cost of shipping has made this an unintentional strain. There's a 15-piece minimum, but the shipping can be really high if you're not in Florida. However, you can still support the honest work of a generous man by working together. Try connecting with your neighbors and friends to place an order together, splitting the cost of the shipping amongst yourselves. Georges wanted to keep costs down for real people to be able to use his product, so working together as a community is a nice way to honor this mindset.

Whether or not you decide to use a Tree T-Pee as part of your watering system, you should remember to mulch around your trees to limit evaporation and runoff. Mulch also helps to keep soil temperatures more stable, preventing frost damage. Just make sure you're not creating mulch volcanoes around your trees.