Watering Your New Plants
We hope you enjoy your new plants. To care for and protect your new plantings, be sure to give your plants the water they need as they work to establish themselves in their new environment. Below are some basic watering instructions for your new plants.
If you are not familiar with your Automated Sprinkler System, or would like Lawns of Texas to make the necessary changes for you, please call us at 254-424-2277 and press extension 3 for our Irrigation Department.
Annuals
Watering Instructions for New Seasonal Flowers
Automated Sprinkler System instructions
-
Determine which zone the flower bed is in
-
Add an additional Program to water that zone for 8 minutes twice a day
-
After two weeks, re-adjust your watering schedule to once a day for 8 minutes
-
Depending on the temperature, small modifications may be necessary(check soil moisture)
-
After one month, depending on temperature, once every other day for 8 minutes should be sufficient.(check soil moisture).
Manual Watering
-
Use a spray nozzle that can evenly disperse water, do not spay plants with a direct stream or high pressure
-
Manually water new plant material twice a day for 8 minutes each day
-
After two weeks, re-adjust your watering schedule to once a day for 8 minutes
-
Depending on the temperature, small modifications may be necessary(check soil moisture)
-
After one month, depending on temperature, once every other day for 8 minutes should be sufficient.(check soil moisture).
Shrubs & Perennials
Watering Instructions for New Shrubs & Perennials
For all newly installed shrubs and perennials (including any transplanted items), please follow these helpful instructions.
Establishment Waterings
Daily waterings are necessary for the first 30 days while the root systems become established in their new environment. If there is a rainfall—skip that day’s watering and resume the following day. When temperatures are consistently above 80 degrees (with little to no rainfall), it is sometimes necessary to water 2x/day during this establishment period.
Watering Schedule
Best time to water is early morning. This gives your new plants their needed water to “drink” during the warmest part of the day. It also allows for water droplets on foliage to dry/evaporate throughout the day which will help reduce the chance of any fungal issue developing. If morning waterings are not possible – the next best time to water is in the evening. The important thing is that the plants receive the necessary water.
Best Tools
You can use a hose with a shut-off value attachment (or hand sprayer attachment set to “shower” for more delicate or blooming plants). Sprinklers can be used, they tend to concentrate water in the wrong places and miss other areas all together—and over-watering can occur more easily.
Application of Water
The best application method for watering is to concentrate the water at the base of each plant (wherever possible) versus watering from overhead. A very basic rule of thumb—shrubs typically need 2x the amount of water than perennials.
Please Note: If it is necessary to water during mid-day (vs. the recommended morning time), wet foliage can become sun-scorched which can sometimes lead to unsightly marks on the leaves.
OVER & UNDER WATERING
A typical planting bed with shrubs and perennials (approximately 15x15 square foot area) will need to be hand-sprayed using the simple techniques described above for about 10-15 minutes at a time. Some plants (especially transplanted ones) may be “more needy” than usual. Keep an eye for plants that may demonstrate a slight wilt several hours after a typical watering application. These plantings may need a bit more water than their neighbors. Sometimes a particular plant (often times perennials) may be receiving too much water. Ironically, a plant will exhibit similar signs with over-watering as with under-watering (i.e. yellowing of leaves; wilting). Try allowing a day or two between watering during the establishment period to see if the plant begins to thrive again. It’s good to do a quick check of the soil immediately surrounding the plantings to be watered—if the very top soil layer has not mostly dried from the previous day’s water application, you can skip that day’s watering. With that said, on really hot days it is still better to lean on the side of caution and give the these plantings a little water–even if the top soil layer has not completed dried—if temperatures are consistently above 80 degrees; it may be necessary to water twice daily.
MAINTENANCE WATERING
Newly planted shrubs and perennials will need supplemental watering during the first growing season after they have established themselves. Supplemental watering may be necessary for shrubs during the hottest days of summer when rainfall is scarce. For subsequent seasons, you may need to water shrubs during very hot dry spells (when temps are consistently above 80 degrees). Most perennials will need maintenance watering during the hottest summer days of each growing season (typically every 3-7 days—depending on temperature, sun, humidity, and rainfall).
Trees
Watering Instructions for New Trees
For all newly planted trees, please follow these helpful tips below:
Establishment Period
Every 3rd day – is a good rule of thumb for watering newly planted trees. Use this frequency for the first two (2) weeks while the tree’s root system sends out new “feeder roots” to establish itself in its new environment. Check the soil immediately below the mulch layer – if it is semi-moist on the 3rd day, you can usually broaden the frequency to every 4-5 days for the first two (2) weeks.
Post-Establishment Waterings
After the first two (2) weeks, change the frequency to 1x per week for the next four (4) weeks. It is important to train the new tree to become efficient in how it utilizes stored water and food as it matures in its new home.
Watering Schedule
Best time to water is early morning. This gives your new tree(s) their needed water to “drink” during the warmest part of the day. If morning waterings are not possible – the next best time to water is in the evening. The important thing is that the plants receive the necessary water.
Best Tools
Use a hose with no attachment (or set your hand-sprayer attachment to “Soaker”) to water your new tree(s). Remember to concentrate the water around the entire “drip line” of the plant (the area that is the width of the tree’s canopy). When applying the water—be sure to soak the area (leave the hose running on a “slow soak” within the drip line area for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the installed tree.
MAINTENANCE WATERING
Newly planted trees only need supplemental watering during the hottest summer days of the first growing season. After the first growing season, trees do not need maintenance watering but will appreciate and look happier with a little drink during very hot days, especially if rainfall is absent for over a week.