Watering Guidelines

Watering can be a tricky thing, but this guide will help take the big questions out of the equation. These guidelines are weather permitting. If we have a long spell of rain or drought, you may need to modify your watering routine.

Large Trees & Shrubs: The root systems on these plants are deeper in the ground, so we want a slow, deep soak. A large tree wants 10 gallons per inch caliper tree. Ex: 3" caliper Bradford Pear Tree gets a deep soak of 30 gallons of water (per week) at one time. One way to gauge the water is by poking a small hole in a 5 gallon bucket and letting slowly empty or putting your garden hose on a slow trickle and time how long it takes to fill up a 5 gallon bucket, then leave the hose running at the base of the plant accordingly. Ex: a timed trickle to fill a 5 gallon buck takes about 5 minutes, so you'll need to run the hose for 30 minutes (1 gallon per minute= 6 buckets)

Annuals, Containers and Veggies: These root systems are shallow so they need frequent watering depending on the type of plant. Check the soil daily to see if it is dry. If the plant is wilting and the soil is dry, it needs water. However, if the plant is wilting but the soil is very wet, this means the plant is receiving too much water and starting to rot.

Perennials & Small Shrubs: These are a mix between the above plants. Check perennials for water 1-2 times a week after planting, especially in drought situations

Trees, shrubs, and perennials usually take 1-2 seasons to fully establish. In the next growing season, you may still need to supplement water in times of drought situations.

General Guidelines for watering success:

Water the entire root zone: For young seedlings, this might mean a daily watering until the soil is moist to the depth of an inch or two. For shrubs, this could be a deep soaking to moisten soil down 12' or more.
Apply water slowly: When you dump water into the soil, much of it runs off onto the surrounding area. A soaker hose or drip system is an ideal way to give plants a slow, deep drink. Alternatively, set you hose nozzle to a slow drizzle.
Save daily sprinkles for newly seeded areas: Larger plants that are established or lawns do best with a deep soaking once or twice a week. Deep. infrequent watering encourages deep roots - in contrast to light sprinkles that encourage shallow drought-prone roots.
Check soil moisture: Poke your finger into the soil to determine where it is moist. Don't assume if a plant is wilted that the soil is dry. If plants get too much water and the roots don't get enough oxygen, they can wilt and die.
Containers need more water: Plants growing in containers will need much more frequent watering than in-ground plants/ Check small containers daily, as well as those made from porous material, such as terra cotta. Self-watering planters help produce moisture, as long as you keep water in the reservoir.