Glynn Young's Landscaping & Nursery Center Blog
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Plant Care - Watering New Plants
Plants are living things. Like pets, they, too, need water to survive, especially during the summer months. Newly planted plants will need more water than one that is 6 months old. As they mature and progress with root growth, the need for supplemental water will decrease. Temperatures, wind, humidity, soil type and rainfall will all impact a plant's need for supplemental water. Soil and weather conditions differ widely throughout the city and state, but the need to provide moisture is the same.
Several things influence the water needs of a plant, so be aware of the conditions that impact the moisture content in the soil. Listed below are a few suggestions for watering newly planted plants. This is just a rule of thumb, as some summers may be wet, and some winters may be dry.
December - March installs:
Water at planting and once about one week after.
April - May / October - November installs:
Water at planting. Then
3 days a week for 2 weeks,
2 days a week for 3 weeks, then
1 or 2 times a week as weather conditions require.
June - September installs:
Water at planting. Then
3 days a week for 4 weeks, then
2 times a week as conditions require.
*** Consider 1/3" rainfall as one watering.
Remember that plants need the soil to be moist but not soggy. If unsure of the soil conditions, pull the mulch back and stick your finger in the soil. Slight moisture is good, but soggy can be fatal to most plants.
Professional irrigation systems are great when used properly. Keep in mind that plants and turf need to be on separate zones. Grass may need water every day for 15 minutes, whereas plants only need water 3 days a week for 6 minutes.
Soaker hoses can work but can be fatal for plants if used improperly. If forgotten and left on, these systems can release a large amount of water before you realize they are still on. Even one extended time can do damage to your plants. Timers can work, but check them often to insure that they are working properly. Keep in mind that as the length of the hose increases, the amount of water flow reduces, leaving uneven watering of the bed.
In the question of drip or overhead watering, we prefer to see overhead water systems. Problems are easy to detect when something goes wrong. They use sturdier pipe and the heads are easy to adjust if needed.
Drip systems, although more water conservative, are less durable; therefore, it is hard to know if you have a problem. If a line is punctured and begins to leak, or if it gets stopped up, you do not realize it until a plant shows signs of distress or dies. Every time you add or move a plant, you must redo the system to include the new plant location. If you regularly plant annuals and perennials, the chance of cutting a line is high also.
In summary, watering is the crucial part of transplanting new plants. 95% of all new plants that die are a result of under or overwatering. Monitoring the water that your plant needs and receives is extremely important the first six months. It really isn't complicated but does take some thought, care, and a little time. These general guidelines should help your new plants thrive!
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