Proper Irrigation

Keeping a landscape watered properly is no easy feat. Striking a balance between too little and too much is the goal. There is no “one size fits all” recommendation for exactly how much water is needed in each circumstance because many variables come into play: soil condition, plant needs, natural rainfall, temperature, wind, light, etc.

Areas of turf have different needs than trees and shrubs. Newly planted sod needs to stay consistently moist until it roots in, which can take a week or longer. Seeded grass needs watering daily but not so much that water runs off, carrying the seed with it.

When trees are dug from nurseries for planting, they lose a large part of their root systems and need water regularly to survive. Give supplemental water in times of drought for several years until the trees can replace the fine roots that enable them to take up enough water and nutrients to support a full canopy. Since trees need leaves to make food for themselves which results in new root growth, don’t prune the tops to balance the root loss.

A major cause of plant loss over time is poor siting from the beginning. A plant that grows in a bog is never going to fare well growing between a sidewalk and the street. When a landscape is initially planned, pay careful attention to the soil and light conditions so the plants chosen are for a setting that is similar to where they would grow in their native habitat. It’s helpful to group plants with similar watering needs together.

Irrigation systems are beneficial and come in many forms. The typical installed system provides consistent watering but should always have rain sensors and needs checking regularly for proper functioning. Tripod sprinklers require moving from place to place as needed and do not need a permanent installation. A very efficient and relatively inexpensive way of watering is the use of soaker hoses. The hose hooks up to a timer, the water slowly drips out over an extended period of time and if covered in mulch, loses very little moisture to evaporation.

The success of a landscape depends on the care after the initial planting, and for several years afterwards. Do the work up front and the reward is a healthy, long-lived landscape.

Snow Creek Landscaping, LLC is a full service landscaping company offering free estimates. Give us a call at 828.687.1677 or visit our home page at snowcreekinc.com.