With all the rainfall we receive here in East Texas, something possibly not considered by many people is how to appropriately water their landscapes. With our rainfall, watering too much too often is often the greatest waste. Sometimes, limiting your irrigation may be just the cure your water-logged landscape has been wanting.
So how do you appropriately water your landscape? See the following tips for watering lawns, trees, and shrubs:
LAWNS: Most lawns receive TWICE AS MUCH WATER as they require for a healthy appearance. The key to watering lawns is to apply water infrequently, yet thoroughly. This creates deep roots that efficiently use the water stored in the soil. To know when to water the lawn, simply observe the grass. Wilting and discolorations are signs of water stress. At the first sign of wilting, you have 24 to 48 hours to water before serious injury occurs. Apply one inch of water to the lawn as rapidly as possible without runoff. Watering only when needed and watering thoroughly produces a deep-rooted lawn which is more water efficient and drought enduring.
TREES AND SHRUBS: All trees and shrubs need more frequent watering from planting time until becoming established, which takes about two years. Plants can then be weaned to tolerate less frequent watering. Proper weaning develops deep roots and makes the plants more drought enduring.
As with lawns, water established trees, shrubs, and groundcovers infrequently, yet thoroughly. In the absence of rain and unless container grown, most trees and shrubs benefit from ONLY a once-a-month, thorough watering during the growing season.
The feeding-root system of a tree or shrub is located within the top twelve inches of the soil and at the dripline of the plant. The dripline is the area directly below the outermost reaches of the branches. Apply water and fertilizer just inside and a little beyond the dripline, not at the trunk. Simply lay a slowly running hose on the ground and move it around the dripline as each area becomes saturated to a depth of eight to ten inches. For large trees, this watering technique may take several hours.
Linda Billings, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
Landscape Index
Gardening Tips For NorthEast Texas Index
East Texas Piney Woods Gardening Home Page