How to Water New Plants

If you are a homeowner that has their lawn maintenance routine down pat, you may be surprised when your lawn and garden aren't giving off that lush, healthy look you are used to seeing each summer. If nothing has changed in your watering schedule, and you're certain you are giving your lawn and garden the right amount of water they need, there may be another factor at play.

When a situation like this occurs, it's best to evaluate any changes you've made to your lawn and garden regimen in the last little while. If you've added some new plants to your garden this year, this may be the root of your problem.

Plants including grass types, like many things, are not all the same. Because of this, they do not all require the exact same amount of water in order to thrive and grow. If you've incorporated some new additions to your garden this season, it may explain why the watering schedule you've mastered is not giving you the results you're used to. To help you get back on track, we've compiled this list of helpful tips for watering new plants this summer.

How Much Water?

When it comes to new plants, it's important to know that they have root systems that are much less developed than those of the existing plants in your garden. These shallow root systems mean that they will need constant watering until they can establish more developed root systems that penetrate deep into the ground. Tip: don't be fooled by the phrase "drought tolerant." Even new drought-tolerant plants will need to establish their root systems before they can survive on limited access to water.

To determine how much water is needed, simply remember to keep the top layer of the soil moist. If you are unable to tell if the soil is moist just by looking at it, poke a finger into the soil or use a garden spade to dig down below the surface to investigate further.

How Often?

Because all plants are different, and some require more water than others, it can be hard to determine how often you should be watering new plants. As a rule of thumb, it's best keep the soil around new plants continuously moist to help develop deep root systems.

Unlike the more developed plants in your garden, new plants need a lot of extra care and attention. When introducing new plants to your outdoor space, it's best to utilize your inground irrigation system to take the guess work out of watering. The adjustable settings of an inground sprinkler system allow you to water your lawn and garden consistently. The weather sensor technology also recognizes the amount of precipitation your garden has received from natural sources, and adjusts your watering schedule accordingly to ensure overwatering does not occur. Perhaps the most important benefit of an inground sprinkler system, when it comes to new plants, is your ability to water by zone. If your sprinkler system is set up in zones, you have the flexibility to adjust the watering schedule of each area of your property. If your new plants are located along the walkway, adjust the watering schedule of that zone and leave the other zones - with more developed plants -untouched.

Contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington Irrigation

The care and attention that new plants require can often be overwhelming, especially to homeowners who already have busy schedules. If you're tired of having to continuously check the moisture of your lawn, but you don't want to compromise the health of your lawn, an inground sprinkler system might be the perfect solution for you. For more information on the many benefits of an inground sprinkler system, contact Nutri-Lawn Burlington Irrigation today!