Great summer watering advice
As Austin ends the month of May below average in rainfall and above average in temperatures, I wanted to share some great advice about watering your plants and preparing them for summer from Merrideth Jiles, who blogs at Garden Spot for The Great Outdoors nursery.
Please click through the link above to read Merrideth’s excellent suggestions, which will not only save you money on water bills but make your plants healthier. His first tip is about watering deeply and less frequently:
Most plants, even newly planted, should not need to be watered every day, if watered properly. A good watering is long and slow, allowing water to permeate the soil on multiple levels and reach deep into the root ball and surrounding soil. I am often amazed as I watch my neighbors shoot a hose at their flower beds for 20-30 seconds and then tell me they are “watering”. I spend at least 5 minutes watering areas that need it. And by areas, I mean nothing more than about 100 square feet (10’x10’) at a time.
Merrideth offers several other tips, including information about fertilizing, which will prove useful to both new and experienced gardeners.
And speaking of water conservation, local gardeners should remember that Austin is under Stage 1 watering restrictions through the summer:
Beginning Saturday, May 1, residential water customers in Austin will follow the same twice-a-week watering schedule. Depending on the street address, customers may water as needed only before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Odd numbered addresses water on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while even numbered addresses water on Thursdays and Sundays. These restrictions will be in effect until further notice….Watering restrictions help conserve our treated drinking water and preserve water supply in the Highland Lakes.
Our water is a shared and precious resource. By following smart irrigation practices, we not only help the environment but our wallets as well.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Great post. Thanks for the link to the Great Outdoors. Good advice.
You’re welcome, Kathleen. Merrideth had great advice. —Pam
Pam, After flooding closed one of our treatment plants we are now on voluntary water restrictions~Fortunately for my garden the stock tank (unfinished project) has collected enough water to keep my container plants alive! It reminds me of how fantastic it would be to have a cistern in place. Gail
I would love to have a big one too, Gail. Someday! —Pam
I wonder how I can find out if Waco is on water restrictions. We are not on city water, and I’ve not gotten any notices from our water coop, but who knows. Crazy after such a wet winter and spring we are behind on rain.
I guess you could just call them and ask, Rachael, though surely they’d publicize it if you were. Either way, it’s a good practice to water less often but more deeply. —Pam
On watering potted plants – go through and water once to cover the top of the soil, then swing back through and do it again. This will get a good deep water, and you can keep moving the hose so none is wasted. If you get the balance right, it won’t overfill the saucer (if saucers you use)
That’s a smart tip, Jenn. Merrideth suggested doing the same with a sprinkler system during dry periods: setting the system to run through a 5-minute cycle to “wet the sponge,” then running again on a longer, 20-minute cycle for a deep watering. —Pam
We’ve had a dry spring with higher than normal temps as well. Watering slow is good down time for me (or is it therapy?). We only get about 16 inches of precip a year, so in this dry spring I can already hear the spider mites laughing.
I also find mulch useful in conserving water.
Christine in Alaska
So do I, Christine. Plus it keeps down weeds. Win-win. —Pam
Great advice Pam, relevant no matter how much rain we have.
Yes, all that rain only dampened the surface of the drought y’all have been in. You’re wise to spread the word. We’ve had lots of rain the last few years, but I still water deeply and not as often here too. Containers I must water everyday though to keep them living. I know drought can always come back to Oklahoma too.~~Dee
Earlier in the spring when Austin was still getting rain once a week, I noticed that several people had their sprinkler systems going on lawns that hadn’t even leafed out yet. I posted a note to my neighborhood listserve saying that my neighbors could save themselves water and money as well as have healthier grass if they adjusted their watering to the rainfall rather than leave their watering systems on automatic. In half a sentence of a two paragraph explanation, I also reminded people that water is a scarce shared resource.
The abuse I received! You wouldn’t believe the Commie, Socialist, Eco-Freaks names I was called for suggesting that there was any need to conserve or any reason to think about our community as a whole. The lakes were full. Drought fear-mongers were just another form of global warming crazies. Etc. Etc.
And this from reputedly the most liberal laid-back neighborhood in South Austin.
It was a very discouraging experience.