Watering New Plant Installations



Watering your newly planted landscapes is the most important part of having success with your investment. Many variables will affect how much water you add to your landscape. The general rule of thumb is one inch of water per week.

Let technology help you. If you have difficulty keeping up with watering needs, check out your local garden center's supplies of soaker hoses, drip emitters (including some for containers), and timers to connect to your outdoor faucet. Or try adding water-absorbing polymer crystals to your containers - the crystals can cut watering needs significantly.

Mulch: Mulch not only looks great and keeps unwanted plant material from growing, it keeps the soil moisture and temperatures more evenly regulated. Mulched beds will reduce the amount of water required to keep plants healthy.

Seasonal Adjustments: Cool spring weather requires different watering routines than hot, dry scorching summer days. Rainfall and cool weather may change the suggested watering timeframe of twice per week to once per week, while dry, hot weather may require three or more watering per week.

Timing: Watering in the morning is preferred to watering during the day or night. Daytime watering is less effective due to evaporation. Overhead irrigation should have time enough during to day to evaporate so that leaves do not stay wet throughout the nighttime hours.

One inch is all it takes: One inch of water per week is the rule of thumb. If there is no rainfall, you will need to apply at least 1 inch of water per week to your landscape. It is best to apply the water in two or three applications as opposed to all at once. Individual plants that are under larger tree canopies or in microclimates may been additional watering even if it rains.

Drooping Leaves: Typically, a drooping leaf will mean that a plant needs water. Plants will also droop their leaves if they are starved for oxygen, which means they have bee over watered and the soil is saturated. If you see leaves drooping, check the soil to see if it is truly dry. Never assume a plant needs water just because it’s losing leaves and drooping.

Over watering: Too much water can cause problems such as root rot and foliar diseases. Evidence of too much water includes drooping leaves, as well as squishy soil. Check the soil moisture to determine if the soil requires watering.

Irrigation systems: In-ground irrigation systems can provide a false sense of freedom when watering. Although they are helpful because they reduce labor and provide regular watering, pay attention to how much water your area is getting. At times, irrigation systems to not provide adequate deep watering roots need to become established.

ANNUAL FLOWERS
Newly Planted (less than 3 weeks in the ground)
Water every one to two days, letting soil dry between watering. Water so that top 1 to 2 inches of soil are moist.

A second watering may be needed each day if they are newly planted during hot weather.

Established (three weeks or more)
Water as weather conditions dictate, allowing the soil to SLIGHTY dry between watering.

PERENNIAL FLOWERS

Newly Planted (less than eight weeks in the ground)
Water every three to four days to moisten top 2 to 4 inches of soil. The one mistake we constantly see new gardeners make is not watering often enough to get their new perennials off to a good start. After perennials have been planted for a while, begin to reduce watering and increase how deep you water to encourage deeper roots.

. ** NOTE** - Sometimes newly planted perennials will wilt on a hot sunny day even though the soil is damp. This happens because the plant has not had enough time to establish a good enough root system to supply the top growth with enough water. If this happens to you, check the soil to make sure that it is damp at least 1" below the soils surface

Established (eight weeks and beyond)
Established perennials may be able to go three to four weeks without watering or rainfall. Monitor moisture levels for the first year more carefully to ensure plants are not over or under watered.

SHRUBS AND WOODY ORNAMENTALS
Newly planted (less than eight weeks in ground)

Initially, care for them as though they are still in a pot. The potting mix that your shrub is planted in is lighter weight than the surrounding soil and will dry out faster. In fact, if the potting mix gets really dry, it will start to repel water making it very difficult to water your shrub. Water regularly to prevent this from happening. Making a dam around your shrub will also help to direct water into the root ball.

Shrubs will need one to two gallons of water per watering at the base of the plant, under the drip line of the shrub. Soak the soil under the whole plants. Soaker hoses are the most efficient because there is very little runoff, and evaporation and soil compaction are slight.

If you find one of your shrubs limp and wilted, water it immediately. Provide some shade for it if you can and maybe set a sprinkler going on it to cool the area. Your plant should perk up within the hour. If not, you need to investigate further. Dig down and make sure that the original root ball is wet.

Once your shrub has recovered, it is important to water it again to replenish the water that the plant has taken up into its leaves. If you find that a particular shrub is wilting frequently, make sure the area is well mulched with several inches of mulch. See if you can provide more shade for it. You may also need to trim some branches away or shorten them in order to reduce the foliage area so that the plant has less water demands.

Established (eight weeks and beyond)
Monitor for moisture regularly and in times of drought and hot weather. Watering as needed in drier, hotter weather, perhaps once a day. 

TREES AND LARGE SHRUBS
Newly planted (less than 12 weeks)
Water once a week for the first eight to twelve weeks, with a second watering during hot, dry summer months.

The larger the tree or shrub that is planted, the more water it will require to soak into the root ball and surrounding soil. By laying the hose on top of the root ball (with the water running at a very slow trickle!) for 30 to 45 minutes, the tree gets water soaked into the root zone. Don’t rely on lawn irrigation systems to water trees. These systems are designed to water the top 1 or 2 inches of soil and usually do not provide enough water to soak the trees root zone.

One gallon of water for the plant and one additional gallon of water for each caliper inch of the tree. A 3-inch caliper tree will need four gallons of water with each watering.

Established (twelve weeks and longer)
Monitor for moisture the first year. Additional watering during hot, dry summer days. Deep, slow watering is best.