Plants, like humans, need water to live. Before a seed can germinate and begin the life cycle, it must absorb water. Once dormancy has broken and the seed begins to send roots down into the earth, the roots need water to move the nutrients in the soil up into the plant. Water provides the method of transport of nutrients throughout the plant.
Determining when, where and how much to water is dependent upon a number of inter-related factors such as soil type, (clay, loam or sandy), age and type of tree or shrub, and weather conditions and location in the garden.
Clay soils take longer to absorb water and longer to drain. Sandy soils are the opposite, they absorb and drain water rapidly. Loam absorbs rapidly, but holds water longer than sandy soils. It is often considered the perfect soil for growing plants. However, working organic matter into the soil can improve absorption and drainage in clay soils and increase absorption and retention in sandy soils.
Plant type has a lot to do with when and how much to water. Drought tolerant plants often have deep roots and/or water retentive foliage. They are adapted to arid areas with little water and low humidity. However, many popular garden plants prefer more moisture and higher humidity. Their root system may not reach as deeply down into the soil, and the leaves are usually broad and thin and lose moisture more readily.
Keep in mind that all plants, whether drought tolerant or not, need more frequent watering when they are first planted, until their root systems are well established. It is also important when watering newly planted plants that the water gets right down into the root zone. Since they have not yet developed new feeder roots, be sure to water close in to the plant until the entire root zone is moistened.
After a plant is established it is important to water deeply, but less frequently. This encourages the plant to send its roots deeper into the ground. Light, frequent watering encourages shallow roots near the surface, which makes the plant more susceptible to damage from heat and drying winds. Over watering can literally drown a plant. The soil contains air spaces. Watering fills up these air spaces. If the soil is over watered and the air pockets never have a change to drain, the roots’ air supply is cut off. This lack of oxygen can lead to root rot and plant death.
There are several ways to water plants. It can be as simple and inexpensive as a hand held watering can to hose-end sprinklers or complex and more expensive underground pipe and drip irrigation systems. The method you should use depends on the size and type of plants and garden, the amount of time you have for watering and how much you want to spend on irrigation equipment.
This is the application of water by drip emitters and micro-sprays at low pressure and low volume. A drip irrigation system can be attached to a hose end or connected permanently to your main water source. The water is applied slowly on or near the ground so there is little or no loss due to evaporation. There is also less likelihood of fungal and foliage disease due to wet foliage. This system allows for greater flexibility because the emitters can be adjusted for specific plants and areas. Since the water lines are above ground, (but easily concealed with mulch), there is easier access for making changes as needed. You control where, when and how long the water flows.
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Hand watering is useful for watering container plants, seedlings and new transplants because you can ensure that you are getting right to the root zone in a gentle manner. While this can be a relaxing and practical activity in those above mentioned instances, it is also impractical for watering a garden of any real size. To efficiently water established trees, shrubs and plants, some other method must be used.
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Soaker hoses are useful for the slow delivery of water to plants. They are made of porous or perforated plastic or rubber and are capped at one end. Place them throughout the planting beds, around the root zones. When attached to a hose and the water is turned on, water seeps or sprinkles down the entire length of the soaker hose. Water is delivered directly to the root zone and is often more efficient than sprinklers. There are fewer problems with foliage fungal diseases since soaker hoses wet the root area, not the foliage.
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This involves either hose-end sprinklers or in-ground sprinkler systems. In both cases, the sprinkler sprays out a large amount of water over a large area. This is just what the doctor ordered for plants that thrive in cool, moist environments. Overhead sprinkling also discourages certain insects (like spider mites) and removes dust from the foliage.
On the other hand, sprinklers can be very wasteful. Wind and evaporation can carry away a good amount of water before it ever touches the ground. Unless it is accurately adjusted, you may have water flowing onto sidewalks, patios or other non-plant areas. Overhead sprinklers can also encourage foliage diseases such as black spot and rust. However, this can be minimized by watering early in the day and giving the foliage a chance to dry before evening.
It is important when using sprinklers, to know how fast the water penetrates your soil and exactly where the water is distributed. You can find this out fairly easily by placing a number of equal size containers at regular intervals out from the sprinklers. Run the sprinklers and note how long it takes to fill a container with an inch of water. This will tell you how long you will need to run your sprinklers to achieve the depth of watering you need. You can also determine whether you are getting even coverage across your target area. If different containers fill up at different rates, then you will need to move the sprinklers accordingly, in order to achieve even coverage.
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