Watering Establishing Plants In Spring/summer

Watering Trees, Shrubs & Roses in Spring/Summer

Keeping on top of watering in dry periods from June onwards is essential for containers and anything you recently planted (and to a slightly lesser degree for most other things as well). Over 90% of plants that fail in the year or two after they were planted are casualties of lack of water, so pray allow us a little lecture.

Water has to get down to a plant's roots, which are easily 6-12 inches (15-30cm) underground, so wetting the surface is not enough. If in doubt, drench the soil around the plant once, go away for a while to do something important in the kitchen, then come back and repeat the watering.

• Pot-grown plants that are planted out in summer need you to water them often during dry weather.
• Trees & hedging that you planted last winter are still establishing and also need you to water them. The larger the plant was when you bought it, the longer it may need help for, so be prepared to water standard trees in their second year as well.

The easiest way to water a hedge or line of shrubs is with a leaky pipe and timer. Using mulch will help to reduce the need for watering and, without drip irrigation, it is often practical to pile up a few inches of soil in a ring or wall around your plants to contain water in a puddle that soaks into the soil around, especially on heavy clay, or anywhere water runs off the surface in dry weather.  

How to water:

• Container grown plants have all of their roots close to stem, until they have a chance to escape into the surrounding soil. It is vital to soak that rootball every few days in summer: direct the water next to the stem, water slowly, and return to the plant several times over the course of a couple of hours if the rootball is dry.
• Bareroot plants may need a little water in winter (snow is dry), but usually there is enough. By their first summer, their roots have established a little, and you can soak a wider area around them.

How often to water newly planted plants:

In a hot, dry spring or summer, your new plants will need to be watered before they get stressed and wilt. As a rule of thumb, when there is no heavy rain (light summer rain doesn't count) water every:

• 2-3 days if the soil is dry and/or sandy.
• 4-5 days if the soil holds water.
• 6-8 days if the soil holds water well, is in the shade, and is mulched well.

To check the soil in front of you, dig down about 5cm or poke with your finger: if the soil is dry and dusty at the bottom, then it's fine to water. If it is damp, don't water.

The idea is to let the soil dry out a little before you water it again, so the new roots can breathe, are not waterlogged, and receive signals to grow straight down.
It is possible to overwater your plants, especially on heavy soil.

When to water:
Plants need water most during the day, so the early morning, before the sun warms up the soil, is best, followed by night or late evening time. 

Your plants also need mulch to trap moisture and help to control weeds.