Summer has officially started. Along with picnics, swimming,and ice cream comes that summer heat. While most find comfort with a fan or with air conditioning, plants have something to worry about. Outdoor plants usually get their moisture from rain, but in the summer that can be in short supply. So to keep our gardens healthy, our plants pretty, and our lawns green, here's how to best water your plants when mother nature is being stingy with the rain.
The first thing to do is check to see if the plants need water to begin with. One way to do this is by sticking one’s finger in the soil. Probe down several inches to see if the soil is as dry as it looks on top. If it is, water. If not, it can wait a day.
There are two times a day that are best to water the plants, that being early morning or late afternoon. Early morning is the best time to water that way the water has a better chance of soaking into the soil, instead of just evaporating in the midday heat. Late afternoon is not too late to water, but the water on the leaves needs to dry before the sun goes down, that way funguses don’t grow on the leaves.
An important thing to remember is that you need to water the roots of the plants, not just get the leaves wet. Tools, such as a water wand, drip irrigation, and a soaker hose will help, but just simply putting your thumb over the hose and aiming at the roots works as well. You can also use a thin layer of mulch to help keep the moisture in the ground.
You don't want to use too much water,however. Too much water in the soil may cause the roots to lose their ability to drink up water. The best way to water is slowly, deeply, and infrequently. This will cause the soil to become damp, but not soggy.
Now, don't be too concerned if in the summer you see your plants starting to wilt in the heat of the day. Sometimes plants wilt to conserve moisture. They should spring back by the evening. However you should be concerned if you see brown edges around the leaves, that means they are overwatered.
The fruits and vegetables in the garden do need more watering than a regular potted plant to prevent things like rot so keep them well watered. Also, wind can cause plants to lose moisture through the leaves, with bigger leafed plants to lose the most moisture.
Set up a wind barrier such as a structure with a shade cloth to help combat this. Another option is to move them to less windy areas.
Lawns follow much of the same rules. The best time to water is in the early morning. Your lawn should be getting about 1 inch of water per week to insure deep moisture, but it may need 2 inches when the heat is on in the summer.
The simplest way to check to see if your lawn is well watered is called the screwdriver test. After watering, take a screwdriver with a long blade and stick it into the ground. If the screwdriver goes all the way down with no problems, then your lawn is good. If it has trouble, you may need to water.
The signs that your lawn is under-watered are things like dry patches, slowed growth and visible footprints, as your grass should spring back up when step on. Signs of overwatering include the development of thatch, funguses, weeds, and insects.
