We are well into our monsoon season … and we have been getting a substantial amount of rain … however … we still need to keep an eye on watering. You need to continue watering your trees, shrubs, flowers and ground-covers to keep them healthy.
Don’t assume that the recent rain storms we’ve had will take care of your watering needs. Sometimes the leaves of shrubs and trees shield the plant so that rain runs off the exterior area of the plant and not immediately around the root zone. There is an art to watering and getting to know your plants on a more personal level. This way you will know when to water them.
* WATER LESS FREQUENTLY, MORE DEEPLY: Water thoroughly 1-2 times per week instead of a light application every day, in other words, soak the entire root zone.
* WATER EARLY IN THE DAY before heat and drying winds cause evaporation. Watering is best performed in the cool of the morning or evening. Remember, plants need 1.5-2 inches of water per week during hot weather, so get a rain gauge or listen to your weather report daily to figure out if the monsoons have given you enough precipitation to meet your plants’ needs. Window boxes, and other containers, which rain does not moisten effectively, will need regular watering even during the monsoons.
PAYNE’S TIP:
Check your plants on a regular basis – look at them, check the soil and then water accordingly. If something is wilting, it may not be lack of water, it could be too much water or simply too much heat, so check your soil. If the soil is damp don”t water, wait until late in the afternoon or evening. If the plant perks up when it cools off, then it does not need water.