Jeff's Tips - Watering

And we're forecasting _________for the weekend.

My preferable fill- in is “sun”.  But, Mother Nature doesn’t always see it that way. May – June produced almost 18 inches of rainfall, breaking the record in April. Good for the plants? Yes and no. Too much water can have dramatic negative effects on our turf and plants.

So what happens when our heavy clay soils stay saturated for weeks at a time? Plants can drown without the needed oxygen. That’s why lawn aeration is effective, breaking up compaction to allow airflow to the roots. For trees, the same thing is accomplished for the subsoil with a technique called deep root feeding.

Plants are amazingly resilient, but this year they face additional challenges. With the cumulative effect of a long cold winter, followed by a cool damp spring, and now excessive heat and humidity, Clevelanders are seeing leaves curling, drooping or dropping, blotches on the foliage, off color flowers and/or foliage, stunted growth or just plain unhealthy appearance.

Drooping and off color plants could be a sign of being either under-watered or over-watered.

Yep, a plant will look identical in either case.

To check the plant for moisture, simply probe the root zone with your finger.

In most cases, turf and plants need about 1 inch of water per week. Ideal watering, divides that into 2 or 3 deep watering applications per week.  Reason being – roots tend to grow where there’s a combination of water, air and nutrients.  With thorough and deep watering, the roots will stay deep and allow the plant to access the soil’s natural nutrients.

Most people know not to water in the middle of the hot day, but the myth of burning the foliage is just not true.  The best time to water is between 6 am and noon –this limits evaporation and allows the foliage to dry before evening. Damp foliage all night long is conducive to disease, so avoid evening watering. 

Even if your irrigation system has a rain sensor, it’s important to adjust settings for the appropriate month. May irrigation settings may be ok for June, but will dehydrate your plants in July and August.  

My forecast: some more summer months, summer weather, maybe some rain, possibly sun. Without question, watch for the beautiful colors of Hydrangea, Sweetshrub, Rose of Sharon and other late bloomers.