| Too
Little Water
Look for Stress Symptoms:
- Wilting plants
- Plants with
large leaves show dry, crisp, curled
leaf edges.
- Interior foliage
begins to yellow and drop.
- Plants lose
shine on leaves and look dull.
- Soil around
plants is dry and hard to insert a screwdriver
more than 1-2 inches.
- Soil begins
to crack open.
- Soil in containers
shrinks away from edges.
Too
Much Water
Look for Stress Symptoms:
- Wilting plants
- Leaf tips are
brown and leathery, but not dry.
- Leaves droop
where attached to stem and look water-soaked.
- Entire plant
begins to yellow then turn brown or
grey.
- New foliage
is smaller, paler and scorches quickly
on leaf edges before leaf reaches mature
size.
- Plants directly
next to irrigation heads are a paler
green.
- Plant is very
loose in soil because of root dieback/rot.
- Soil very wet
and stinky when 6-10” deep shovel
sample taken.
- Slug, snail
and pillbugs are present.
- Algae growth
on hard surfaces, or moss growing between
pavers.
- Fungus gnats
infest container soil.
Shrubs and Beds
- Water mulched beds
more often than turf grass. Depending
on temperature and exposure, usually
1/2 inch water 2 to 3 times per week
will usually be adequate for well-established
plantings. In the summer, increase run
times by about 30%. Unmulched beds need
more water, depending on soil type and
plants.
- Check to see that soil is moist,
not wet, down to about 6-inch depth.
Be careful not to over water and check
for adequate bed drainage. No puddling
should remain after watering. Check
areas around rain gutter downspouts.
- Newly planted gardens should be monitored
daily for the first few weeks and plants
with larger root balls may require additional
hose-watering at first.
Trees
- Deep watering 1 time
per week is recommended for established
trees and can be done along with deep
watering turf. Let hose trickle around
edges of drip line overnight or long
enough to wet soil to a depth of 5”–
6”. Watch the leaves for signs
that soil is holding too much water.
- Newly planted trees
should be watered regularly 2-3 times
per week through their first summer;
water area around edges of root ball.
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