July is Smart Irrigation Month so here at Whispering Springs Nursery in Jasper, GA, we are bringing you tips on smart watering to keep your landscape healthy while limiting your water usage.
Tips on Watering Plants Over Summer
- Water in the mornings. This helps keep your plant leaves dry so they don’t develop disease, and limits evaporation.
- Don’t water everyday. Typically, your established landscaping will do just fine with every other day watering. If it has been raining, keep this in mind and don’t water your plants again until the soil has dried.
- Water deeply, and infrequently. The rule of thumb that gardeners have used for years is one inch of water per week, if it was not provided by rain.
- Only water when your plants need it. If your annuals are looking wilted, go ahead and give them a deep watering. Established perennials only need watering when they stay wilted overnight into the next day.
Why is Smart Watering Important?
It is important to water smartly for the health of your plants. Just as much damage can be done to plants that are over watered as those that are enduring drought. Limiting your watering also helps to limit runoff. When you over water your soil, it becomes saturated and instead of absorbing the moisture, the top layer of your soil can wash away. Lastly, limit your watering to save your water bill and reduce stress on the planet. During July, landscape water usage increases by 80%. There is already limited amounts of fresh water supply available, so the less you can use on your landscaping, the better.
Whispering Springs Nursery in Canton, GA hopes that you keep these tips in mind this July and throughout the summer to conserve water and help your landscape grow healthy all season long.
