Hello Fellow Gardeners,
Since you’ll all be out in your gardens and spending more time outdoors, I wanted to share some great Do’s and Don’ts of Watering!
The Do’s and Don’ts of Watering
New plantings need a good watering when planted and on a regular bases afterward – but NOT too much. We need to try and duplicate natural conditions. When you water, give a heavy watering so the water soaks in 2″ to 3″. A sprinkling is wasting water. A good heavy watering twice a week, if no rain, is enough in most conditions, however you also need to know the soil conditions. A heavy clay soil will hold the water longer, while a sandy loam will drain quickly and may need more watering. The triple mix soil we have installed is the perfect mix of 1/3 soil, 1/3 peat moss and 1/3 compost. This combination is widely known as meeting most planting needs. Due to the moss and compost, it is more airy than regular topsoil, which is excellent for your plants – as it holds more air and water.
Mulch is like the icing on a cake. After laying a strong foundation of triple mix, we spread mulch on top of the soil and around your trees and plants. Mulch has numerous benefits, such as:
- Conserving and improving the health of the underlying soil.
- Reducing weed growth
- Insulating roots
- Adding visual appeal
But we were talking about watering…
Over watering can do as much harm as under watering. Plants need oxygen to transfer nutrients so, if the soil is saturated, nutrient exchange is slowed or even stopped. – Get to know your soil conditions. You also want to let the soil dry out a little, so the roots have to grow & stretch out building their root system.
Cells in the leaves get oxygen from photosynthesis, but cells in the roots need to get oxygen from their environment to stay alive. Even though roots are buried, they absorb oxygen from the small air spaces in soil. This is why it’s possible to ‘drown’ plants by watering them too much.
Questions may be directed to me, Mike Scott mike@mslanscaping.ca and for more great landscaping ideas and gardening tips, we are happy to answer any questions you have for us!
Happy Gardening!