Watering 101: tips to keep your plants thriving

The summer’s sweltering heat and little to no rain can take its toll on outdoor plants. Countryside Flower Shop, Nursery and Garden Center offers these watering techniques to help your greenery thrive:

1. Watering tools

Use soaker hoses, rather than spray nozzles, whenever possible. Soaker hoses use a much lower volume of water with better results by oozing out a slow drip that penetrates deep into the soil rather than running off and away from the plant roots. Let the soaker hose run for three to four hours at a time and you will only have to do this once a week, or maybe twice in hot windy weather and if there is no additional rainfall.

2. Timing

Watering in the morning is key because it provides sufficient water for the plant to utilize going into the heat of the day, and ensures all the leaves and soil surfaces are dry by nightfall to prevent disease problems. High moisture and humidity combined with cool temperatures produce the perfect environment for many leaf, flower and stem diseases, such as powdery mildew, grey mold, leaf blight, and fruit rot.

3. Watering newly planted trees

After the initial watering when first planted, trees should be soaked again three days after planting. During the first year, large trees should be soaked every week, unless there has been a heavy rainfall of 1″ or more during the week. The second year, water once every two weeks, unless there is 1″ of rain. During periods of extended drought, water thoroughly once a week. Continue this routine through the middle of November or until the ground is frozen.

4. Watering newly planted shrubs

Shrubs may be watered individually by soaking the soil around each plant. For large plantings of shrubs, a soaker hose may make this task easier. Shrubs should be watered three times a week for the first six weeks, and twice a week for the rest of the season. During periods of extreme heat, wind or drought, you may need to water daily especially on smaller material. As with trees, you can skip watering when there has been 1″ of rainfall during the week. Continue this routine through the middle of November or until the ground is frozen.

For more detailed watering instructions, visit Countryside Flower Shop, Nursery & Garden Center’s website at https://www.countrysideflowershop.com.

Countryside Flower Shop, Nursery & Garden Center : 5301 E. Terra Cotta Ave (Rte 176), Crystal Lake, IL : 815.459.8130 : www.countrysideflowershop.com