Denny's Soapbox

Universal Watering of your Landscape

The best way to receive several inches of rain is to write an article on watering plants during hot, dry weather.

The No. 1 question I get in the summer is “How often should I water my plants?” This question is asked by homeowners installing new trees and shrubs as well as established ones. Boy, I wish I knew an automatic answer.

Watering is a difficult subject. Many books, booklets, and plant tags have been written on the subject. Problem is, every bit of the information has to be very generic - info covering many regions and weather zones with different minimum and maximum temperatures, soil types, and average rainfall.

The following watering advice is based on several assumptions (violating any of these will negate the effectiveness of the information):

1. You’ve installed plants that are hardy to Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

2. New plants have been placed in the right light and wind exposure.

3. The soil type is within the range that your plant needs to thrive.

The Lawn

Actively growing lawns need 1 inch of water per week, minus any rainfall. There is usually sufficient rainfall in spring and fall. If not, go to the 1-inch rule. Irrigation systems that water 3 times a week from 12 to 15 minutes to a zone keeps grass roots shallow which is not good.

When you water the lawn, put down at least ½-inch of water each time. This encourages deep rooting of the grass, making it more drought tolerant. Place a straight sided glass in the area the sprinkler is covering and measure the water accumulating in the glass.

Plants

Watering all the plants in your landscape has one rule: Check the soil for moisture around each and every plant you intend to water.

Differing plant beds will have different water needs in the same landscape. For example, some areas receive more wind and sun making these plants more prone to dry out.

Some plants naturally need more moisture. Always plant compatible plants together. If you find one plant is dry and the other 14 in the area are OK, just water the plant that needs it.

Best Water Gauge

The magic wand to help you water only plants that are dry is a garden trowel. Before watering any plant, dig the trowel down 3 inches in the soil and check for moisture around the plant. If dry, water. Moist? Leave alone.

Many rely on the appearance of the plant to decide when to water. Droopy leaves can mean the plant is too wet or the plant has not been watered enough. Some plants like large leaf Hydrangeas naturally wilt in the heat of the day and are not necessarily dry. Always use the trowel to check soil moisture and not your eyes.

Believe it or not, plants die quicker from over watering than under watering. The majority of plants that fail to grow are killed with kindness, not neglect.

Check your soil with a trowel weekly and only water when that soil in your hand is dry. Please check the soil before watering.