H2Ohhhhh

In New England this has been a ridiculously hot, dry summer. It goes without saying that the need for water is greater than it has ever been. Not only for you as you are working in your garden but also for your plants. I have a client who went away for the summer. Unfortunately, he didn’t think that the garden would need water. This is a new garden and although I planted drought-tolerant plants I explained that especially the first year the plants would need regular water. Sadly he did not hear me and a recent garden check left me heartbroken. So many beautiful plants barely holding on. The soil was dry as dust.

Please make sure that your gardens and containers are getting ample water. Don’t think that any occasional rain lessens your responsibility. Often if the rain is heavy it rolls right off the surface and into the storm drain. If you are fortunate to have an irrigation system, make sure it is working correctly. A brown spot on the lawn or an area of the garden that is not looking great could be an indication of a problem. Since many systems run very early in the morning you might not always spot a problem with one of the sprinkler heads. 

Speaking of early morning, it is the best time to water. Water can sink in without evaporating as it would in the heat of the day. Watering late in the evening is not good as moisture will stay on leaves and blades and can cause mildew or fungus. And hand watering is rarely a good idea. Unless you plan to stand and water for hours that is. A better idea is to set up a sprinkler and leave it for a few hours. You can always dig into the soil to see how deeply the water has penetrated. Soaker hoses are also a good idea and will deliver water right to the root zone.

Most gardens need about 1” of rain per week; a good rain gauge can determine if you need to water.