There are a few simple things you can do to check the amount of moisture in the soil and ensure that there is the correct amount of water getting to your plants. The quickest and easiest way is to put your finger in the soil, up to your knuckle. If the soil is moist, it has enough water; if it is dry, you need to water the plant.
When insufficient water is provided, plants are unable to develop properly and become more susceptible to damage from pests.
I have many times been shown plants on death's door and asked what should they be sprayed with, as if there is some miracle chemical capable of reviving neglected gardens. Nine times out of ten, the answer is water. It never ceases to amaze me how people can spend hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on a landscape and then watch it gradually die for want of an occasional watering. Proper watering would probably save 75% of the plants that are lost in gardens each year. Even those plants that succumb to pests were usually first weakened by inconsistent watering.
In most cases, the gardener needs to supplement natural rainwater. The questions of how much and how often are a matter of judgment. The best way to tell when a garden needs watering is to look at it. If the soil is dry to a depth of a half an inch or so, it's time to water. How often you need to water varies greatly with the temperature. With high temperatures (24 –34°C ), watering once a week will probably be more than adequate for an established garden. But when temperatures hit (35 °C) and above, you may need to water as often as every day. Other factors influencing the frequency of watering are the nature of the soil, the amount of sunlight, how well the garden is mulched and whether the plants are in flower (during flowering plants generally require more water). But always keep in mind you can most definitely water too much.
When watering you want to make sure the soil is well moistened. This can be time consuming, but it is better to water thoroughly once a week than to give your garden a brief shower every day.
TJS Facility Services can deliver thousands of litres of water to your site and set up a watering program that suits you until we get consistent rain again. This can include everything from hand watering, to blanket spraying large turf areas using specific chemicals to aid in soil penetration.
Call Andrew Petty on 0427 632 103 today for your free appraisal.
Andrew Petty
Operations Manager, Grounds Maintenance
