As summertime temperatures continue to be hot and dry with sporadic heat waves week in and week out, watering your garden can become a hassle to maintain. There are a handful of summer gardening tactics that can help you maintain a healthy and adequately hydrated ecosystem within your property. Our garden center experts are always happy to help you understand the correct techniques for more efficiency with the proper tools. A consistent watering schedule can improve the plant life on your property. Check out some of our recommendations below!
Watering Tools
• Using the right tools can be a huge assistance to improving your watering efficiency and effectiveness. Be sure to utilize watering cans for small plant material containers and watering individualized spots within a garden. This can help save you time rather than setting up a whole sprinkler system or getting out a hose.
• Ensure that you have the correct hose length to reach varying watering areas on your property. There could be plenty of unforeseen obstacles at any point. Be sure to have the area clear to reach the more distant watering areas. Obstacles can range from things such as toys (kids or dog), garden décor, and furniture. Taking these things into account, makes sure you are not tangling your hose or dragging it through delicate garden plants.
• To get the water to where it is most needed, at the base of plants, be sure to add a water wand to your watering tools arsenal. This can also help individuals avoid bending over, reaching, or leaning into the garden. Ultimately, a watering wand will help you avoid putting strain on your body. We have a great selection of watering wands on location that you can choose from!
Watering Time & Amount
• It is always best to water your plants in the early morning on a given sunny day. This helps avoid evaporation and gives plants a change to absorb more water. By completing your watering in the early morning hours, it does not leave water sitting on plants overnight. There is a chance that mold can develop if water is left sitting on plants overnight.
• Make sure you are not overwatering. If there is rain precipitation throughout the week, try to keep track of rainfall amounts. There are various tools, instruments, and news sources that have this information.
• Being sure to water thoroughly and deeply is essential to developing more drought-tolerant root systems. This is more important that watering often but with not enough water. A minimum of an inch of water per week is a standard rule that will help maintain healthy plant material.
Mulching Helps!
• Many people may view mulching as an aesthetic gardening value, but true gardening enthusiasts know of mulches value. Mulches help retain moisture in the soil for further reserves when needed. They also minimize the growth of weeds which can also take away further moisture and water resources from plants.
• It is recommended to mulch a depth of anywhere from two to four inches within garden beds and tree bases. As needed, you can resurface to sustain the necessary depth and fresh gardening beauty.
Summer gardening certainly has it’s difficulties but there are so many benefits to having your outdoor space look amazing and full of life. From reduced stress, to exercise, to helping nature thrive—gardening is a win win for any individual that dedicates the time and commitment to making the endeavor a success. No one said it was going to be easy, but when neighbors, friends, and family notice the beauty you have brought to your personal outdoor space, it sure is rewarding!
To read even more information about summer gardening and watering, please go to: gardendesign.com/how-to/summer-watering.html