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Watering New Additions to your Garden or Landscape
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It is very important that you adequately water new plantings. Once your plants become well established, they have a better chance of surviving dry periods. We would like to be able to be more specific and tell you to simply water two times per week for two hours. Unfortunately, it is not that simple because there are too many variables involved; soil types (sandy, clay, sandy loam, etc.), weather, sprinkler types. Please read the guidelines that follow. Your plants will thrive if you follow these instructions.
A consistent supply of water will be critical for your new plantings for a full year or more. A plant may be fatally injured by merely a few hours of insufficient water, though damage may not be evident for some time.
Check plants for wilt and soil for moisture levels on a daily basis. Water deeply to encourage deep roots, applying at least one and a half inches per watering or to a depth of six inches into the soil. If using sprinklers, four hours or more may be required to apply adequate water. Only by using rain gauges or checking depth of moisture with your finger can you be sure of adequate watering.
Rain showers may not supply adequate water for any given day. A shower may only produce a quarter inch; or if three inches falls quickly, much of it may be lost as surface runoff.
Newly planted small or tender plants (annuals, perennials, herbs, wildflowers) are especially sensitive. Immediate and daily attention may be needed to give sufficient water.
Continue watering through the fall and winter. Though temperatures may be moderate, autumn can be our driest time of the year.
DO NOT OVERWATER. Wilt can be a sign of root rot which can occur under constantly saturated conditions. A plant can also die from lack of oxygen in the soil due to constant soil saturation. Remember: check the soil to determine if water is needed before you water.
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