Are You Watering Your Trees And Shrubs Wrong?
The watering needs for your trees and shrubs depend on if they’re newly planted or if they’re mature, so adding them into the landscape will require you to change up your gardening routine a bit. Our climate in Houston is often pretty hot and dry, so naturally, we need to modify our water schedule based on the weather. So, it comes as no surprise that many gardeners around here aren’t totally confident in whether they’re getting it right.
Garden bed flowers and vegetable plants usually give us pretty sudden visual cues if they aren’t getting what they need, but more permanent, large-scale landscaping features are a bit trickier to figure out. Here are some basic guidelines on how to water them, so you don’t end up losing out on those high-impact landscape design features.
How To Care For Newly Planted Trees And Shrubs
One thing is sure when it comes to watering newly planted shrubs and trees in Houston: you gotta water them way more than usual for the first year. For their root systems to develop and get settled, they need tons of extra moisture—especially when it’s hot out! If you’ve planted them in the spring or summer, you’ve got some seriously hot months ahead, and you don’t want the roots to get shocked by the extreme temperatures. More water in the soil will help insulate the plant from that heat while also delivering enough hydration to support it during a period of rapid growth.
For the first season after planting, water them deeply once per week. Let a hose trickle onto the soil around the root system for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the plant. Make sure the soil is well-draining, so moisture doesn’t collect, get stagnant, and cause root rot. If we’ve been getting a lot of rain, there’s less of a need to water regularly. However, during really dry periods, you may need to get out there with the hose as often as three times per week. Remember, it’s always better to water deeply and less often instead of lightly and frequently.
Do Mature Trees Need Watering?
Once new trees have survived their first year, they’ll likely never need to be watered more than once a week, which would only be necessary during periods of drought. You can continue to scale back even more as they get older. You won’t want to overdo it on the water because that can actually lead to too much canopy growth and a heavier reliance on supplemental water in the future.
One important thing to keep in mind with mature plants is that the root system spreads much wider than its above-ground parts, contrary to what many gardeners say about canopy size equalling root radius. You’ll want to water a large surface area all around the trunk base to ensure that the roots don’t go neglected. When watering trees, you’ll want to let the water trickle into the ground for up to half an hour, moving the hose occasionally to a different area.
How Often Should I Water My Shrubs?
Generally, you can stick to the same schedule of once every week or two when the plant has established, going in more during dry periods and reeling it in during the rainy seasons. However, how often you water can also be a bit dependent on plant variety. If you’ve got a notoriously thirsty plant, like a hydrangea or dogwood, you might need to get in there a bit more often so that the blossoms don’t wither away.
Knowing how to water correctly is essential because it can help prevent a host of problems like pest and fungal infection. Always, always water the soil and not the plant! Point the stream at the soil, and avoid getting foliage damp as much as possible. This is especially true for when you’re dealing with thick, dense foliage. With these plants, you can end up creating a breeding ground for mildew and other nasties if you get moisture into dark areas with no air circulation. Regular pruning will also help keep things breezy through the branches so that you won’t get left with funky foliage.
If you’d like to update your landscape design with some new plants and ornamental features, we have a massive selection of colorful varieties available, as well as planting services for those of you who aren’t keen on doing it yourself. Visit Plants For All Seasons now to see what’s new! Our store is open for shopping, but we’ve also got curbside pickup and delivery options available for those of you who want to keep your shopping as quick and easy as possible.
FAQs
Generally, you can stick to the same schedule of once every week or two when the plant has established, going in more during dry periods and reeling it in during the rainy seasons. However, how often you water can also be a bit dependent on plant variety.
How often should trees and shrubs be watered? ›
Yes, most mature trees should be watered once a month when the weather is dry. In California, this means during the summer. Trees need deep, slow watering to encourage a healthy root system. You can't rely on sprinklers to do the job because they don't saturate the ground deep enough to reach the roots.
Can you water shrubs too much? ›
Be careful not to overwater.
Water should soak in quickly; your plants should never sit in a puddle of water for an extended period of time. This can lead to root damage.
How deep should the soil around trees and shrubs be watered? ›
Apply a deep watering over the entire root zone area until the top 6 to 9 inches of soil are moist. Avoid light watering as this promotes shallow root systems that are susceptible to summer heat and drought stress. Water early in the morning to minimize water loss due to evaporation and wind drift.
Is it better to water shrubs in the morning or evening? ›
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
What is the best way to water trees and shrubs? ›
Soaker hoses, bubbler systems, and drip irrigation are three great ways to make sure that that water is delivered where you want it when you want it, and how you want it, especially when you combine it with an automatic timer to help you get those plants established as quickly as possible.
How can I tell if shrub had enough water? ›
Leaves are expressive — especially if they are large and thin — and will tell you a lot about a plant's needs. “If they are droopy, you know they need something and to check their soil,” Cramm says. “Plants will droop if they are thirsty or too soggy. This is your cue to feel the soil on the top.
How long to water shrubs with a hose? ›
Turn your hose on a slow trickle and place it 4-6” from the base of the plant. Let the hose run between 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of the root ball. Deep soaking is the best way to water your new plants. Deep soaking of a plant in its first year can be broken down into 5 phases.
How often should I water shrubs in summer? ›
For established trees, shrubs and lawn, it's a good rule of thumb is to water once or twice per week to provide a total of one inch per week (in the absence of rain). While you can water more frequently for shorter periods of time, this short watering period means the water doesn't absorb as deeply into the ground.
Should I water my bushes every day? ›
Generally, you can stick to the same schedule of once every week or two when the plant has established, going in more during dry periods and reeling it in during the rainy seasons. However, how often you water can also be a bit dependent on plant variety.
What does water thoroughly mean when it comes to trees and shrubs? As a general rule of thumb, we recommend 1 minute of good soaking, with a 2 minute break, 3-4 times, each time you water. That will give your new friend a total of 3-4 minutes of good, deep watering.
Do plants need watering every day in hot weather? ›
During extremely hot weather (daytime temperatures above 90F and nighttime temperatures above 70F), try to water daily or every other day. In a 10x10-foot garden, this would mean giving your plants 8 to 9 gallons of water each day.
Is it OK to water shrubs at night? ›
Watering at night is not the best for your plants' leaves or overall health. Here's why. After a night time soak, leaves can stay wet for a pretty long time since they don't have the sun to dry them off. Because of this, damp leaves become extra vulnerable to fungal development.
How do I know if I'm watering my tree too much? ›
Wetness at the base of your tree is the most obvious sign that you're overwatering your tree. It's pretty intuitive. But there are other signs, such as fragile leaves and stunted growth at the base, that are a little less obvious. In fact, these issues may also arise from underwatering!
How many minutes should you water a tree? ›
For a 3-10 gallon tree you want to let the hose run for 8-12 minutes. For a 15-30 gallon tree you want to go for 20-30 minutes, and for a 45+ gallon tree you want to give it a solid 60-90 minute soak.
Can you water trees too much? ›
Overwatering is a common cause of urban tree decline. When excess water displaces oxygen in the root zone over long periods of saturation, the roots will suffocate and die. Determining the right amount of water, not too much or too little, for your established trees involves many factors.
