- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Avoid overwatering
Overwatering established landscape plants is more common than underwatering. While newly planted ornamental plants require frequent light irrigations due to small compact root systems, established plants should not be watered everyday. They do much better with deep and infrequent irrigation.
Know how much water to apply and when to apply it
Become familiar with the water needs of plants growing in your climate and micro-climate. A straightforward approach to help you apply the right amount of water to your landscape when it is most needed is to use the "feel test". Get your hands dirty! Dig a small hole 6 to 12 inches deep. Grab a handful of the removed soil and squeeze. Soil that falls apart easily is a little too dry and should be irrigated. If a lot of water oozes out, wait a few days before you water.
Mulch
Apply 3 to 4 inches of mulch on the top of soil around your landscape plants.Mulch reduces soil evaporation, controls weeds, reduces erosion, buffers soil temperature, and reduces compaction. It is important to recognize that organic mulches decompose over time and need to be supplemented regularly to remain effective.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Tree watering
What is the best way to water a mature tree? How do I water the tree? How deep do I water my tree?
Roots naturally want to stay in the top 2-3 feet of the soil. It's in their nature to be “shallow”. Why don't the roots grow to infinity and beyond? More nutrients are available to the tree in the top 2-3 feet of soil. Also anaerobic conditions exist in deeper soil and the roots cannot survive there.
So how do we water the tree so that the roots are deep enough for optimal growth and not stick out of the ground?
The University of California has developed a system to easily irrigate trees, it's called Tree Ring Irrigation Contraption (TRIC). Basically you circle the tree at 1 foot intervals with a drip line.
Here is a link to the TRIC information http://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/public/drought/tree-ring-irrigation-contraption-tric-1/tree-ring-irrigation-contraption-tric
Tree photo from Symphony of the Soil.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Recently, I've seen people watering their lawns. Not just irrigating but letting the water run into the gutter. Should you water your lawn in January or February? This is a tricky question.
So, the question is "Does your lawn need water"?
Even though it has not rained in about a month your lawn may not need water. The water from fog and dew are watering opportunities for the grass.
At this time of the year, your lawn needs very little irrigation. Technically speaking, the evapotranspiration is very, very low. That means that the plant is using and losing very little water. Why is the plant losing and using very little water, you ask? In the winter, the day length is short and the temperature is low.
So, how do you determine if your lawn needs water?
1. An easy method is to walk across your lawn, turn around and look for your footprints. If you see your footprints then you need to irrigate. If you do not see your footprints then you do not need to irrigate.
2. Another method is to take a shovel or trowel and insert it into the ground 2-3 inches. In most cases if it inserts easily the soil is moist. If you want, take a look at the soil. Is it moist?
3. You can use a general month to month lawn watering guide for the Sacramento Valley. It has been developed by the University using years of Et data. Click here for the chart.
4. If you are a science geek and love math, you can calculate the Et for your lawn. Click here to learn about Et.
If your lawn needs water please irrigate it properly for the season. And remember, water on the sidewalk and in the gutter is not watering your lawn.