With local water restrictions in place, Master Gardener Brian Minter shares his tips for keeping your yards and gardens hydrated and healthy, no matter the heat.
Water is essential for the survival of all plants, especially in times of extreme heat like we are currently experiencing. With many water restrictions in place during the summer, we need to use our water more wisely.
Plants and trees absorb water most efficiently in the morning when temperatures are rising. Plants also use water in the evening, but much of it evaporates. This is especially true for large trees and lawns. However, if you can only water your plants in the evening, do so.
A garden hose or drip system is ideal for watering as they direct the water to the roots where it is absorbed more effectively. Hand watering also works better if you concentrate the water around the plant's roots.
After watering, check to see if the moisture has penetrated the roots and how deeply the water has penetrated into the soil.
Use the trowel to dig up a bit of the soil to gauge the effectiveness of your watering and to figure out how long each area needs to be watered for – this is most important for hedge plants – just pouring a little water on top of the soil won't help the roots.
When watering by hand, use a “Soft Rain” nozzle with 400 to 1,000 holes to better distribute water and keep the soil well moist.
These nozzles are especially effective when watering hanging baskets or containers. Make sure to water deeply and allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings to avoid the soil becoming too wet and soggy. Also, try to water baskets or containers in the morning.
Hot weather requires constant watering, so you'll need to feed your plants more frequently with both a slow-release fertilizer like 20-20-20 and a liquid fertilizer to replenish nutrients that have been leached out during periods of constant watering.
Vegetable gardens also need more water, but make sure the leaves don't get wet. Cucumbers, squash and pumpkins will go moldy overnight if the leaves get wet. Water only the soil, and only in the morning.
It's early blight season so keep tomato and potato leaves dry. Sprinkle lime around the tomato plants to provide calcium. If you think your other vegetables need nutrients, now would be the ideal time to fertilize them with a fertilizer such as Flower and Vegetable 10-15-19, which will provide nutrients until mid-September.
Watering your tree is essential now, especially for young trees. Be sure to water around the drip line where the roots are. Tree bags will not provide the moisture a young tree needs. Water your tree thoroughly at least once a week, making sure the water is seeping down to the roots.
All evergreen trees, shrubs and flowering trees should be watered thoroughly, especially those that are recovering from winter damage.
Rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias have shallow roots and need to be watered regularly and with a mulch of fine bark to retain moisture.
Our neighborhood trees need help, too, especially those without water resources. Trees are part of our urban canopy and we all need to help them. All trees play a valuable role in cooling and filtering the air and providing habitat for wildlife.
Don't forget that bees and pollinators need water too: shallow bathing areas and wet, muddy areas are essential for their survival.
We all share a responsibility to care for the trees on our own private property as well as those on the public lands that surround us.
So help out as much as you can within local water restrictions, especially during hot weather.
