Watering Your Plants
It is essential to know what amount of water your plants need to be healthy and to grow. Incorrect plant watering techniques can harm them, especially newly planted ones. Here are some tips to help ensure your plants reach their full potential.
Summer Watering Tips For Your Plants
- Water plants in the early morning to reduce evaporation, allow leaves to dry and reduce foliar diseases.
- Before watering, check that the soil is supple and not too wet. Go by how the soil feels, not by how the plant looks.
- Don’t rely on irrigation to water your trees, shrubs, and perennials until they are well established.
- Directing water at the base of your plants delivers the hydration to the roots, where it is needed. Irrigation systems only water the first few inches of soil, which for trees and shrubs can cause them to send out more surface roots, rather that taproots.
- Newly planted trees and shrubs should be thoroughly soaked with water 2 or 3 times per week for the first month. After that, water weekly during their first growing season. Established trees and shrubs (which are at least 2 years old) only need to be watered once every 2 weeks during the growing season when rain is scarce.
- Add 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch to conserve moisture in the soil and protect roots.