Q:How much should I water my plants during hot weather?
A:Do the high temperatures of summer have you dreaming about shady spots, iced tea, and dips in the pool? Do you find yourself longing for buckets of cool, clear water?
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Just like you, your plants need buckets of water, too. Don't be fooled by light rainfalls, it takes an inch or more of rain to turn around a dry spell. The best way to water established landscape plants is to use enough water to saturate the entire root area.
Plants differ in how deep their roots penetrate the soil. You need to supply enough water to wet the root area of each type of plant. For lawn grasses, you only need to wet the top 6 inches of soil. Water needs to penetrate 12 inches deep into the soil for flowers. For trees and shrubs, it is best to wet the soil 18-24 inches deep.
Here are some general watering recommendations. Adjust your watering schedule for your soil type and selected landscape plants. Bermuda grass should be watered one to two times a week. Tall fescue needs more water than Bermuda grass and should be watered every three to five days.
Outdoor plants in pots need to be checked daily, because they dry out more quickly than plants in the ground. Water potted plants when the top 1 to 2 inches of soil are dry to the touch. Most flowers should be watered once or twice a week, as should your vegetable garden.
Young shrubs and trees planted in the fall or early spring should be watered weekly the first year. If you plant shrubs or trees in May or June, you will need to water twice a week the first summer they are in the ground. Watering can be stretched out to once every two weeks during the second year of establishment. In the third year, water trees at least every three weeks. Established shrubs will need to be watered every one to two weeks, depending on their drought tolerance.
You can pretty much skip watering junipers after the first year. Water only if we have a severe, prolonged dry spell. Water-sensitive plants on the other hand, such as azaleas and hostas, will need to be watered every two to three days.
Bill Geer is director of the Oklahoma County Extension Service. His column addresses frequently asked horticulture questions. For more information, call 713-1125.
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