The root zone of every plant requires three things: air, earth and most of all, water. Water is the essential blood of a plant and is necessary to the uptake of soil nutrients. Its presence in soil also governs how deeply a plant sends its roots into the earth, and this in turn is directly related to its ability to withstand drought. There is more to watering than simply turning on sprinklers. Dwindling resources demand you water efficiently too.
TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE?
It isn't easy to know exactly how much to water. If you over-do it the plant will drown in soil filled with water where oxygen should be. If you don't water enough it will wilt. If you're in doubt about whether you are watering adequately, don't just look at the soil, dig a little hole and find out exactly what's going on down under.
If you find black soil and roots that smell badly) you have watered too much. This may also indicate you have poor drainage, and water is just not percolating down and down and out of the root zone. If it's dry down there, then increase watering or change your strategy. Water more frequently or water for a longer duration.
A SIMPLE DRAINAGE TEST
The best way to know how water behaves in your soil is to dig a test hole. Make this one to two feet deep. Fill it up with water from the hose. The speed in which it percolates down into the soil is a gauge of its drainage.
* If it drains away in an hour or two you have excellent drainage.
* If it drains over night, you have adequate drainage.
* If it stands any longer, you have very poor drainage.
THEY ONLY GO WHERE THERE'S WATER
All plants large and small, woody or herbaceous send their roots to the nearest source of water. For proof, just ask anyone with a tree growing over t heir sewer line' .sprinkler systems apply surface water frequently, but saturate the soil only a few inches down. Plants naturally root in this surface layer, but if the water is not applied right on schedule, they will suffer accordingly. Under these conditions even the most drought resistant tree or shrub will become as needy as the rest.
Drought adapted plants grow deep root systems that are able to access moisture far underground after surface soil has dried out. This quality can also be encouraged in more thirsty plants to make them healthy and as water thrifty as possible, The result is you water less often, and the water you do apply is used much more efficiently.
WATER DEEPLY
The best way to water is to apply it at a rate that the soil will absorb without runoff It must be able to saturate the soil many feet below the surface, This can be difficult with slow draining soils, but if you provide each plant with a watering basin, it holds water right over the root zone so it can soak in at a gradual rate. It is always best to begin deep watering from day one with a new plant. This discourages surface rooting and enhances drought resistance early on.
If you are using sprinklers, runoff may occur or water may pool before it soaks in. Set watering duration to shut off as pooling or runoff begins, then set each station to operate more often, such as twice a day, or more days of the week, but do not increase the duration. This program will help water soak in much more deeply and encourage adventurous rooting.
TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE?
It isn't easy to know exactly how much to water. If you over-do it the plant will drown in soil filled with water where oxygen should be. If you don't water enough it will wilt. If you're in doubt about whether you are watering adequately, don't just look at the soil, dig a little hole and find out exactly what's going on down under.
If you find black soil and roots that smell badly) you have watered too much. This may also indicate you have poor drainage, and water is just not percolating down and down and out of the root zone. If it's dry down there, then increase watering or change your strategy. Water more frequently or water for a longer duration.
A SIMPLE DRAINAGE TEST
The best way to know how water behaves in your soil is to dig a test hole. Make this one to two feet deep. Fill it up with water from the hose. The speed in which it percolates down into the soil is a gauge of its drainage.
* If it drains away in an hour or two you have excellent drainage.
* If it drains over night, you have adequate drainage.
* If it stands any longer, you have very poor drainage.
THEY ONLY GO WHERE THERE'S WATER
All plants large and small, woody or herbaceous send their roots to the nearest source of water. For proof, just ask anyone with a tree growing over t heir sewer line' .sprinkler systems apply surface water frequently, but saturate the soil only a few inches down. Plants naturally root in this surface layer, but if the water is not applied right on schedule, they will suffer accordingly. Under these conditions even the most drought resistant tree or shrub will become as needy as the rest.
Drought adapted plants grow deep root systems that are able to access moisture far underground after surface soil has dried out. This quality can also be encouraged in more thirsty plants to make them healthy and as water thrifty as possible, The result is you water less often, and the water you do apply is used much more efficiently.
WATER DEEPLY
The best way to water is to apply it at a rate that the soil will absorb without runoff It must be able to saturate the soil many feet below the surface, This can be difficult with slow draining soils, but if you provide each plant with a watering basin, it holds water right over the root zone so it can soak in at a gradual rate. It is always best to begin deep watering from day one with a new plant. This discourages surface rooting and enhances drought resistance early on.
If you are using sprinklers, runoff may occur or water may pool before it soaks in. Set watering duration to shut off as pooling or runoff begins, then set each station to operate more often, such as twice a day, or more days of the week, but do not increase the duration. This program will help water soak in much more deeply and encourage adventurous rooting.
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