Watering your lawn and ground-cover

• Too much water can be as bad as not enough water. 

• Determine your exact watering needs--1" to 1.5" per week is typical.

• Place an empty can in the yard to see how much water you're actually sprinkling.

• Too much water can result in crab grass.

• Frequent shallow sprinkling also can result in weeds.

• Water in the early morning--not at night, NEVER during the day.

• Use a watering timer

WATERING All ground covers, even drought-tolerant ones, need an occasional sprinkling. How much they need depends on plant type, root depth, climate, and soil conditions. When first planted, ground cover beds require light, frequent irrigation because they depend on the water supply in the immediate vicinity of their small root systems. At this stage of growth, the soil should be kept constantly moist so that the plants don’t wilt. Once the plants are established and their root systems cover more area, you can water less. Unless you live in an arid region or the plants require high levels of moisture, irrigate only when the plants begin to wilt or show signs of stress.

"Watering...", continued from page 1.

How MUCH WATER? Water established plants deeply and infrequently. Apply an inch or more of water at a time, every week or two. This promotes deep root growth, which makes the plants better able to survive drought. Typically, 1 inch of rain will soak 12 inches into sandy soil, 7 inches into loam, and 4 to 5 inches into clay soil. Determine the watering rate of your sprinkler or irrigation system so you know how long to let the water run to put down an inch. Sprinklers deliver between ½ inch and 2 inches of water per hour, depending on the size of the nozzles. The rate at which soaker hoses and drip sprinklers apply water depends on the number of holes in the tubing or the size of the emitter, as well as the water pressure. Soak the bed every week or two during warm weather, Your goal is to keep the root zone of the plants—usually the top 8 inches of soil—moist but not wet. The soil surface may dry but not the root zone, How long the soil remains moist depends on its texture and the weather. Clay soil retains water longer than other soils, so you won’t have to irrigate as often. Sandy soil doesn’t hold water and requires more irrigation. In cool, moist climates, you won’t need to water as often as you would in hot, dry regions. Extremely arid or hot regions require frequent watering. In cold climates, water regularly until the ground freezes; plants that are not drought-stressed better withstand freezing. Too much water is as harmful as too little. If plants growing in moist soil wilt in bright sunlight, drop leaves prematurely, or show signs of rot, you are watering too much.

WATERING SLOPES Irrigating ground cover beds on slopes can be tricky. Soil on slopes erodes easily, especially when beds are young and haven’t filled in. Because water is more likely to run down the slope than soak in even in established beds, standard irrigation methods result in slopes that are dry on the top and wet at the base. Set up sprinklers to water in stages. Irrigate until the water begins to run off the surface. Check the edges of the slope to monitor runoff. When runoff begins, cut off the water supply for about 20 minutes to let the water soak into the soil. Repeat this process until the soil is thoroughly soaked. In many situations, an automatic system is best. Drip sprinklers can apply water slowly and directly onto the soil. If you install a pop up system, select different-sized nozzles so that more water is applied at the top of the slope, less in the center, and little at the base.

WHEN TO WATER To check soil moisture, wait 24 hours after a thorough soaking and dig down 6 to 12 inches into the root zone. You can see how moist the soil is by looking at it—it should be dark colored—or by extracting a clump of soil and squeezing it in your palm. If the soil won’t form a ball and crumbles easily, it is too dry. If it forms a ball but doesn’t crumble, it’s wet. Adjust watering accordingly. You can also monitor water with a moisture meter purchased from a nursery or hardware store and embedded in the soil. Water early in the morning if possible so that foliage dries before nightfall. Watering at night leaves moisture on plant foliage and stems for extended periods of time, which, especially in humid regions, promotes disease and pest problems.