Watering Know-How

The different factors that dry out soils; how to water to compensate.

Pattern Sprinkler
Item # 99833 		Pattern Sprinkler

Each $29.95
Plastair Springwand Water Breaker
Item # 99763 		Plastair Springwand Water Breaker

each $18.99
  • Topic: Watering
  • Author: Janet Newton
  • Keywords: watering, soil types, drought, Watering
  • Date: April 2001

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Understanding when or how to water under variable conditions is perhaps the most important element in growing a healthy garden. People often ask: “How often do I water this?” for which there is no easy answer—you need to learn to read the ground, the weather and the plant. Here are some pointers to help.

Incorrect watering can be the source of many plant problems, including: susceptibility to insects and disease, instability from poor root development, and a general failure to thrive.

There is only one generalization about watering that cuts across soil-types and climate differences: the need to understand your soil. Understand what it’s made of (clay soils hold more water than sandy soils), and work to equalize it with amendments. As you are getting to know its characteristics you should check the top several inches when you think it’s time to water—if the soil is dry to a depth of 3-4 inches your instincts were correct.

Other variables that effect frequency and method of watering:

  • Wind—on a blustery day: plants will lose more water than on a still day, and using a sprinkler will simply increase evaporation.
  • Temperature—unrelenting hot: sunny days strung together will increase the need for water.
  • Humidity—if there is more moisture in the air, plants don’t respire as quickly, allowing you to decrease your standard watering schedule.

The most common watering mistake is watering too frequently at too shallow a depth. Shallow watering ensures that the roots will be forced to grow in that superficial water zone, resulting in unstable and unhealthy growth. Also, plants start looking constantly parched—all the water you’re giving them is for naught.

Restricting your watering to the early morning is the best rule of thumb. It gives plants the moisture they need to get through the day and ensures that the water you use will get to where it needs to be without evaporating. Morning watering also decreases the dangers of burning leaves through magnification of midday rays, and fungus problems like powdery mildew that can result from letting wet plants sit through the night.

Your watering strategy has to take into account the type of plant. Trees and shrubs will need deeper watering (their roots are deeper) than a perennial bed. For trees and shrubs, create a water well that you can fill up and let drain into the ground using a slow-flowing hose with a bubbler. Just a reminder: all young transplants and seedlings need water, no matter how xeric they will become. Periodic deep soakings will help ensure healthy root development—a necessity for a stunning xeriscape garden.

The most effective and efficient means of watering your garden is by drip-irrigation. This ensures that water will get where you want it, at the rate you want it, when you want it. You can use a timer to regulate your watering—and if you go out of town this is a good idea—but it can’t monitor watering variables the way you can. Your vigilance will be rewarded with these systems—check the connections and make sure that the number of emitters around a plant are still adequately watering that plant from year to year. Any leaks or cracks can cause a significant reduction in the amount of water getting to where it needs to be, and a significant increase in water waste.

We cannot talk about watering strategies without mentioning mulch—it plays such a vital role in the water savvy-ness of your garden. In an area like Santa Fe, a garden without mulch would probably need to be watered once a day in the dry heat of the summer. With mulch that might drop to once every three days, a significant change. You have to love anything that’s both so useful AND beautiful. It unifies your garden as it helps retain moisture, discourages water-thieving weeds and helps plants get through the freeze/thaw cycles of winter.

If you’ve never seen anything but pea gravel or chunky bark mulch, you’ll be surprised at the number of different options available: large, small and shredded bark, pecan shells or cocoa bean shells (depending on your location). For the rock or succulent garden, crushed gravel comes in a wide variety of colors—it adds a whole new dimension to your planting palette.