Irrigation
and Watering Plants
While water is essential for plant growth,
proper irrigation is necessary. It is
possible to over water. Plant roots need air as well as
water and are not able to get enough air when flooded.
We often see landscape plants die during the summer
months due to over watering because of poor
irrigation rather than under watering.
Use the container method to determine how much water you
are applying and don't apply more than 2 inches of water
per week. There should never be standing water in a
flower bed or garden. Good irrigation is
essential.
You can determine the amount of water supplied by your
irrigation system by placing a shallow container,
such as a coffee can or glass jar, in the area being
watered. Make a mark on the container one inch from the
bottom. Then, time how long it takes for the water to
reach the 1 inch mark on the container. If you live on a
slope or have compacted soil, water may run off before
it has time to penetrate the soil. To avoid run-off,
reduce the volume of water you are putting out so that
it takes longer to fill the container to the 1 inch
mark. If you can't control the volume of water, you can
water for a short time, wait a few minutes to allow the
water to soak in, and then water again.
Plants will flourish during the summer months if cared
for properly. Watering plants correctly, and good
irrigation is one of the best ways to keep your
plants looking great all summer long.
Most plantings around the home, including lawns, flower
beds, and vegetable gardens need 1 to 1.5 inches of
water or rain each week during the growing season. If
there is a good soaking rain during the week, you can
probably avoid watering plants. Otherwise, you
will need to irrigate. It is best to water deeply
and infrequently. You should avoid watering more than
twice a week because frequent, shallow watering
encourages shallow rooting. Your plants will be stronger
and better able to tolerate stress if they are
well-rooted.
The best time of day for watering plants is in
the early morning. Watering in the morning conserves
water by allowing it to soak into the ground without
evaporating. Avoid watering at night because foliage
will stay wet all night long leading to disease
problems. Watering during the middle of the day also has
its problems. Each water droplet that sits on a plant's
leaves will act like a magnifying glass and burn the
leaves of your plants in the sun. In addition, if
overhead irrigation is used during the middle of the
day, much of the water evaporates before it ever reaches
the ground. Watering in the morning conserves water,
allows greater penetration of water, and reduces disease
problems.
Everyone enjoys the site of colorful crape myrtles in
bloom and the delicious flavors of fresh vegetables in
the summertime. However, to keep garden plants at their
best throughout the summer, they will need to be watered
regularly. While watering plants may seem simple
enough, there are some tricks to watering the
garden that may help your plants grow even
stronger.
A good, thick layer of mulch in gardens and around trees
and shrubs can greatly reduce the amount of water
required by plants. Mulch reduces evaporation from the
soil and cools the soil. In addition, mulch can act as a
barrier to weeds which compete with your garden plants
for water. Many different organic materials can be used
as mulch including tree bark, chipped wood, pine
needles, grass clippings, or dried leaves.
