Keeping our landscape and garden plants alive this summer continues to be a common priority and concern with record heat and little rainfall; and to top that off, in some communities, water restrictions. The past few weeks have been especially challenging and more and more plants seem to be succumbing to the drought and heat stress. Brown lawns, scorched leaves, wilting and defoliation is a common site as you drive through many communities.
While it is difficult to give a "one size fits all" watering recommendation, most plants will require approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week. However, soil type, weather conditions and plant species play a role in the actual amount needed to keep plants growing or at least alive.
The best way to water is by thoroughly soaking the soil with the recommended amount of water in one application. This deep watering encourages deep root growth, which then helps plants to be more tolerant of the drought. Frequent shallow watering encourages shallow roots which will likely succumb to the heat and drying of the soil. Sandy soil and containerized plants will need more frequent irrigation.
A more recent scenario is landscapes with green lawns, while other landscape plants are suffering. The problem lies in the fact that each plant has different water needs, yet we water all of them along with the turfgrass. Most lawn grasses will respond quite favorably to irrigation that wets the soil to a depth of about 6 inches. However, this may not be deep enough for trees and some shrubs. Instead leaf scorch appears on the trees while the lawn and other plants seem to be just fine. While a little scorch is not terribly damaging to the plant, prolonged dryness can be devastating.
To ensure trees are getting the water they need, deep soaking (12 to 18 inches) is important. Methods for watering trees include: deep-root fork or needle, soaker hose, or soft spray wand. Apply water to locations under the dripline of the tree and beyond if possible. If you use a deep-root fork or needle, insert no deeper than 8 inches into the soil. Apply water at a slow enough rate to allow penetration rather than wasting water by runoff.
Believe it or not, another problem during drought periods is overwatering. Shrub and flower beds that are mulched should be monitored closely and allowed to dry a little in between waterings. If when a plant is showing signs of early wilt, water is applied, and it still doesn't respond, then it is possible the area is too wet. I ran into this problem in my own backyard just recently. I replenished the mulch in one bed and soaked it real good. A few days later a couple plants were wilting so I watered some more without checking the soil moisture. They did not respond and continued to decline. I finally poked around in the soil under the mulch and decided I had overwatered the area. So now I will wait for a while and check under the mulch before I water that area again.
Another tip to keep in mind is that next year's growth, including spring flowering and fruiting, will be determined by buds formed this summer and early fall. So even if your plants aren't showing symptoms of the heat and drought now, the damage may become apparent next season. That is why it is so important to water correctly now.
The ideal time to water is during the early morning hours. Maximum use of water is accomplished at this time of day and allows plant foliage to dry more quickly. Watering during the middle of the day when temperatures are high and wind is stronger wastes valuable water. Watering in the evening is more convenient and may coincide with lower water use demands, but can create an environment that disease organisms need to grow.
While it is difficult to give a "one size fits all" watering recommendation, most plants will require approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week. However, soil type, weather conditions and plant species play a role in the actual amount needed to keep plants growing or at least alive.
The best way to water is by thoroughly soaking the soil with the recommended amount of water in one application. This deep watering encourages deep root growth, which then helps plants to be more tolerant of the drought. Frequent shallow watering encourages shallow roots which will likely succumb to the heat and drying of the soil. Sandy soil and containerized plants will need more frequent irrigation.
A more recent scenario is landscapes with green lawns, while other landscape plants are suffering. The problem lies in the fact that each plant has different water needs, yet we water all of them along with the turfgrass. Most lawn grasses will respond quite favorably to irrigation that wets the soil to a depth of about 6 inches. However, this may not be deep enough for trees and some shrubs. Instead leaf scorch appears on the trees while the lawn and other plants seem to be just fine. While a little scorch is not terribly damaging to the plant, prolonged dryness can be devastating.
To ensure trees are getting the water they need, deep soaking (12 to 18 inches) is important. Methods for watering trees include: deep-root fork or needle, soaker hose, or soft spray wand. Apply water to locations under the dripline of the tree and beyond if possible. If you use a deep-root fork or needle, insert no deeper than 8 inches into the soil. Apply water at a slow enough rate to allow penetration rather than wasting water by runoff.
Believe it or not, another problem during drought periods is overwatering. Shrub and flower beds that are mulched should be monitored closely and allowed to dry a little in between waterings. If when a plant is showing signs of early wilt, water is applied, and it still doesn't respond, then it is possible the area is too wet. I ran into this problem in my own backyard just recently. I replenished the mulch in one bed and soaked it real good. A few days later a couple plants were wilting so I watered some more without checking the soil moisture. They did not respond and continued to decline. I finally poked around in the soil under the mulch and decided I had overwatered the area. So now I will wait for a while and check under the mulch before I water that area again.
Another tip to keep in mind is that next year's growth, including spring flowering and fruiting, will be determined by buds formed this summer and early fall. So even if your plants aren't showing symptoms of the heat and drought now, the damage may become apparent next season. That is why it is so important to water correctly now.
The ideal time to water is during the early morning hours. Maximum use of water is accomplished at this time of day and allows plant foliage to dry more quickly. Watering during the middle of the day when temperatures are high and wind is stronger wastes valuable water. Watering in the evening is more convenient and may coincide with lower water use demands, but can create an environment that disease organisms need to grow.
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