A lush green lawn and well-maintained shrubs can do wonders for the overall look and feel of your property. But achieving that picture-perfect landscape requires more than just mowing and pruning. Water is a crucial element of proper lawn and shrub care, and neglecting it can have disastrous consequences.
Understanding Watering Needs
Many homeowners take pride in having a well-manicured lawn and beautifully trimmed shrubs. Proper lawn and shrub watering is essential for the health and longevity of your outdoor space. The most crucial time in a plant’s life is during its adolescence. For up to the first year after planting you should keep an eye on how often your vegetation is getting a good drink. During this time proper watering will allow the plants to spread from their bindings of either pots or promote germination of the seed. Especially during the dry summer months, a good gardener will spend a few minutes a day assessing their plants’ needs.
A clear sign you need to consider cutting back watering is if the ground allows the water to pool for more than a few minutes after. To remedy this simply, reduce the number of minutes or number of sessions each day. On the other hand, if your shrub seems to look “wilted” or “droopy” or the lawn starts to feel crisp to the touch feel free to add to either factor.
When to Water Lawn and Shrubs
The frequency of watering depends on various factors, including the type of soil, climate, and type of plants. On an average warm (70 degrees F or above) summer day with minimal cloud cover, you should be watering your shrubs and lawn for a minimum of thirty minutes twice a day preferably once in the morning and again at dusk. This way, you lower the risk of the water just evaporating or causing the plant to become sunburned due to being moist in the midday light. As the seasons begin to cool and the sun begins to fade, reduce the sessions to at least once a day preferably in the morning to allow for optimal absorption. When planting either shrubs or a new lawn be sure to take note of what kind of soil you are working with. No matter the kind of soil it is very easy to amend the dirt to suit your growing needs. For a thick clay-like soil, a product like peat moss can help lighten its structure and make it more permeable for water and roots to move throughout easier. Sandy and very loose soil would do good with a compost. A compost will add more body and nutrients to the soil that may have washed away over time.
The Benefits of Proper Watering for Your Lawn and Shrubs
Proper watering is crucial for the health and appearance of your lawn and shrubs. Here are some of the benefits of watering your outdoor space correctly.
- Disease Prevention- A well-hydrated plant of any kind is better able to soak in the nutrients of the surrounding area making it harder for disease to take hold.
- Pest Control – Healthy plants make it much easier for homeowners to catch a pest issue faster. If your plants usually look in good health you are much more likely to see damage at its initial stages instead of a complete infestation.
- Healthy Growth- Water allows for the soil around the plant to be pliable allowing the roots to establish faster. Stronger and larger route systems mean a healthier and overall more substation plant.
- Property Value- A lush rich lawn and full vibrant shrubbery add the best finishing touch to a property. Not only is it pleasing to the eye but also the property itself is fertile and easy to manage.
Different Ways to Water Your Lawn and Shrubs
There are various ways to water your lawn and shrubs, including sprinklers, drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and hand watering. Both drip irrigation and soaker hoses provide a slow release of water over a set period of time. This slow release allows the soil to absorb the water more evenly leading to a moist and not overly saturated environment for your lawn or plants to drink from. For these reasons either are the best options for a hot and dry summer season. Sadly, even the best of options have at least a small drawback. The drawback in this case is that drip or soaker systems have to be centralized near the plants needing to be watered making it less effective for large lawn areas.
Another great option to choose from is a traditional sprinkler or irrigation system. Like drip irrigation or soaker hoses, these systems allow you to control the amount of time you would like to water. A negative for either of these options is the fact that the spray of the sprinkler is much broader allowing for an even saturation over a larger area. This field of motion may lead you into watering the more stubborn thick foliage plants by hand to supplement any excess thirst.
Lastly, a tried and true method is hand watering. You can hand water with a hose or by using a watering can. The bright side of this option is your ability to control where the water is actually going. On the other hand, you have to stand and continue to water for the duration instead of being able to walk away and go about your other chores or errands. If you have ever sat and tried to watch a pot boil five minutes does seem to drag on for ages this phenomenon will most likely cause you to walk away long before your property is sufficiently watered.
Thomas Landscape and Garden Center Can Help You Keep Your Lawn and Shrubs Healthy
Thomas Landscape has all of your water management needs. From chemicals that you can apply to the landscape to help retain water, to sprinkler and hose systems to match any kind of landscaping need. A fantastic resource we recently established is the ability to send pictures to our text line or bring in a sample for our experts to review and provide advice on how to correct the problem. For more invasive solutions we install irrigation systems that are very easy to control wirelessly through your phone. Stop by or give us a call for more information!