The basics of watering
Watering is a necessary but frequently misunderstood gardening task. For no plant is it possible to set a specific interval of time between waterings. To the question, “How often do I need to water?” there is no answer.
Watering your trees and shrubs is not always necessary, and at times heavy watering can do more harm than good. In fact, many newly planted trees die of overwatering rather than underwatering, especially in heavy soils. In the Red River Valley gumbo, too much water can kill the plant in a matter of days by saturating the soil and depriving the roots of oxygen.
In the light soils one finds on the shorelines of the Red River Valley, gardeners need not worry about overwatering. The water sinks right past the roots. In sandy soils, watering every day may not be necessary, but it will do no harm.
How frequently should I water?
The basic rule: Water only when the plant needs it. A plant needs water if the soil around the plant is dry to the touch about a quarter of an inch below the surface. If the surface of the soil is still visibly wet, pouring on more water is not only unnecessary, but it can harm the plant.
How should I water?
It is impossible water a plant properly by holding one’s thumb over the end of the hose and waving the stream of water back and forth. Your thumb will fall off before you do the plant or lawn any good.
To check the effectiveness of your watering, dig down in the soil after you are finished. See how deeply the water has penetrated. Even though the surface of the soil might look slimy and wet after a few minutes of standing with one’s thumb over the end of the hose, the water has likely penetrated no more than a half-an-inch below the surface.
With lawns, shallow watering can actually do harm. Shallow watering encourages roots to grow towards the surface, where they become dependent upon the frequent watering and are less able to withstand drought or a weekend of neglect.
Watering should be done slowly and deeply. The best watering happens when a hose is left on at a slow trickle next to a tree, shrub, or flower bed, for several hours.
Sprinklers, if used properly, are a good way to water thoroughly and deeply. However, many sprinkler systems are timed to turn on every day or night for only a short time. A healthier practice would be to turn on the sprinkler for several hours, even up to eight hours through the night, and no more than two times per week.
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