Watering Techniques

Watering Techniques are very important to your landscape plan. Some clients worry about their bills when they decide to invest in a landscape project. When any plant is first planted, it is critical to use the right amount of moisture to get roots established in the ground.

Once a plant is established you can adjust the H2O schedule. Climate and geographical location will play a major role on how many times a week you have to create an H20 schedule. Lets take a look at tips and techniques for keeping your plants healthy .

In simple solutions, the planting a tree article talks about watering a container tree and a ball and burlap. Here is a little review.

After the tree is planted, take a hose and place the hose near the base of the tree. Turn the hose on to a slow drip and water for 45 minutes to an hour. Every 15 minutes you can move the hose around, so the moisture will evenly soak into the ground.

I recommend doing this for a couple of weeks. You can now cut the pattern down to twice a week for a month until the roots get established. Times may vary due to drought conditions or rain. Some trees require more moisture then others.

A River Birch needs a lot of moisture, especially in the hot summer months. You will need to keep the roots soaked at least three times a week.

A good way to test to see if your ground is dry is to take a small shovel and dig three to four inches close to the trunk. If the ground is moist you will be fine for a few days. Always do this as the ground surface will be the first to dry out. Also, by doing this step you will get to know the schedule of that particular tree. It is a good idea to know the patterns of any plant before you plant in the ground.

Shrubs are given moisture the same way as trees. Once the shrub is planted take the hose and put around the base of the shrub.

Turn the hose on low and place the it near the ground. Keep the on for five to ten minutes and let the moisture soak into the soil. Do this step for the first couple of weeks.

Continue to this pattern with the shrubs, as you will be able to tell if the plant is getting enough moisture. One of the mistakes some people make is they take a sprayer and spray the leaves and feel this is moisturizing the plant. Not a good thing to do.

Always try and water a plant near the ground or root system. Once a shrub is established you can cut back on the amount of days per week.

Flowers need more moisture then trees or shrubs, especially in the warm summer months. Use a hose in the same manner. Be careful not to put the hose on too fast, as you could damage the blossoms or leaves. Herbs will need more H20, especially if they are in containers.

The same step for testing if your flowers are dry applies here.

Take a small spade and dig two inches around around the flower to see if the ground is dry. This is a good method if your leaves are turning yellow. Yellow leaves are a sign of over or under watering.

Track your patterns in the beginning. Life today is very rushed and everyone is busy. I strongly feel no matter how many plants you put in the ground, it is an investment to you and worth the time to properly take care them.

There are different methods. There are good irrigation systems. Many people with irrigation, have anywhere from 2 to 7 zones set up. Some zones are for watering grass and some for plants. Grass and plants need different H2O schedules. Most irrigation companies and installers will be able to explain to you the proper watering techniques for each. Remember, once a plant is well established you can cut down watering. I have shrubs and trees in my gardens and I let nature do the work.

This is a picture of irrigation pipe. Irrigation is a great investment. Tom and I had an irrigation system put in our front yard a few years back.

My irrigation specialist installed this system, and it really has made a difference. Our fescue is lush and green.

I would recommend hiring out to have irrigation installed. The specialist will also know how to work through tree roots using a ditch witch. The ditch witch will make the correct width, and cut through large roots.











The first photo is an above ground sprinkler system. This is less expensive than irrigation, but you want to make sure you get good quality sprinklers.

The second picture shows you an irrigation sprinkler system in action. Both the above ground and irrigation if done correctly will give you the results you need for healthy gardens and lawns.

If you use an oscillating sprinkler, make sure you water long enough to allow the moisture to soak in the ground. People have run into problems as the surface is wet, but one to two inches below are completely dry, and your plants will dry out.

The Melnor Oscillator sprinkler is a good brand. I recommend this sprinkler for an even watering pattern. Very reasonable price. Oscillator sprinklers vary in pricing, but spending a few extra dollars is worth your investment to your outdoors.

I don't recommend using a sprayer very often as you are really spraying just the leaves. Sprayers is good for misting the leaves and plants. If you have the time use the hose directly around the tree, shrub, or flower. You will have the best results!

These suggestions are simple techniques to get you started in properly watering your plants! Your main goal to obtain healthy plants is to have an overall plan and put the plan into action throughout the entire year. A little planning allows you to not only enjoy your outdoors, it also creates a solid investment of your own time and money. Feel free also to check out the entire product line at our Outside In Garden Store.