Proper Watering!

If your flower gardens, trees or perennial vegetables are “established” (been in the ground longer then a year) you can spread out the watering regiment to 2-4 weeks depending on how hot it is.

Now that your landscape or garden design project is complete, or you have finally got all your veggies in the ground, its success or failure is now dependent on whether or not you meet your plants’ water needs. Research has shown that a plant’s growth rate is affected for years by the way they were treated after transplanting. Failure to adequately water will have short- and long-term repercussions on your landscape. This task is a good one for kids if you can guide them to follow these steps:

• When: April – October: Mornings are best, but anytime of day is okay. November – March: No need to water.
• How Much: 1.5″ of rainfall per week or if done manually with a hose: 5 minute per tree, 1 minute per shrub and 10 seconds per perennial.
• How Often: 1 time per week in normal temperatures. 2 times in hot weather. The soil in the root zone should not become dried out. Do this for at least the first growing season and preferably the second. Obviously if your vegetables are annuals then this does not apply.
• How to Apply: Using a hose, apply water over the root area, not the leaves.

Skip using a water sprinkler to water your gardens. Fifty percent of the water is lost through evaporation and the other 50% can lead to excessively high moisture levels on the foliage, resulting in water-born fungi. Sprinklers were meant for lawns, and for cooling off the kids! Two essential gadgets can help families with their watering goals:

1. Watering Wand – This is a 2.5 ft rigid extension that screws onto the end of the hose. It allows you and your kids to water without bending over and in hard to reach place, plus it distributes the water in a gentle shower that will not wash the mulch or soil off the root zone. It is available at most garden centers or hardware stores for $15 – $25.
2. Rain Gauge – This is a simple device that sticks into the ground and measures rainfall and a useful tool for kids to check and keep record of summer rainfall. If it reads less than 1.5 in of rain per week, you’ll know that the plants need more water. The approximate cost for a rain gauge is $10… or you can make your own! Kids can participate as citizen scientists too by collecting and reporting their data online for scientists to use.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim McSweeney

Jim is a certified arborist, certified horticulturist, licensed pesticide applicator (needed for the application of organic pesticides in MA) & a professional landscape designer with over 15 years experience. He is also the owner of Hilltown Tree & Garden LLC. Jim is on the faculty at the New England Wildflower Society, teaching courses on a diverse range of topics. He lives and works in Zone 5 (Chesterfield, MA) with his family. Once a month here on Hilltown Families you will find timely gardening tips, from a pro in the field, that can be easily used by both avid and novice gardeners, specific to Western MA.

[Photo credit: (ccl) Christopher Craig]