The Goal: Happy, beautiful, thriving plants

The proper amount of water is the most important factor in the health and survival of your landscape plants! Watering too much and watering improperly are worse than watering too little.

Here is how to water properly

• Stick your hand into the soil 3-4 inches. If the soil feels moist, don’t water, but check the soil daily to see if it is now dry. Soon you will be able to observe that the daily temperature, natural rainfall, and the look of the plant will help you judge if it is time to again test the moisture in the soil.
• When the soil is dry, water the plant slowly and deeply. This means you should water at a rate that allows all the water to be absorbed without running off, and it means applying the equivalent of at least 1 inch depth of water over the area surrounding the plant – the ball of the new tree, the reach of the foliage, etc.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs throughout the first year from spring until late fall. Water plants in subsequent years when they look wilted.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Do water between late evening and early morning
• Don’t water on the foliage
• Don’t do frequent light watering except for annuals

Facts

• Wilted leaves can come from too much water as well as from too little water.
• To cover one square yard of soil with water one inch deep will take approximately 6 gallons of water. To do the same over one square foot of soil will take 2/3 gallon of water.
  (A soda straw sized stream of water will take approximately 15 minutes to produce 6 gallons of water.)

Call us for assistance with regularly watering your plants.