Watering the lawn and new plants?

Question

We haven't had rain for at least 3 weeks. We had new shrubs, a few perennials and a tree installed last week. I've been hand watering with a hose 2-3 times a week but haven't had time to get to the lawn until today. Since we're in a city that regulates when we can water (odd house numbers on odd days, even house number on even days), I can't leave water running unattended on even days, since we are in an odd numbered house.

I didn't get home until 8:30, and am trying to get as much of the lawn and new plantings as I can before I go to bed. I'm doing different areas about 30 minutes at a time. It's 9:30, and I'm thinking I'll only be able to do this for another hour.

Is 30 minutes at a time going to do anything at all for a lawn that hasn't seen a decent rain in almost a month, or am I wasting my time and water? Should I just shut off the water and not worry about it?

I'm going to hand water the new plantings with the hose tomorrow (my day off, but an even numbered day!!!)

Answer 1

Well maybe I can help.  Being from Milwaukee we also have a water conservation regulation (protecting Lake Michigan) and may be of some help to you.  First, watering in the morning hours (5 til 8) is the best time to water.  The water will be quickly absorbed by the awakening plants but will not be evaporated by the sun's rays and the warmth of high-noon (although its actually warmer at 2pm).  To keep your lawn from growing a fungus try not to water at night or keep the lawn moist at night...  this is why golf courses near us water in the morning.  Try not to water your lawn for more than an hour at a time as grass doesn't have a very deep root system and therefore water that percolates through the top 5" of soil is lost to other plants and/or the water table.

To keep your new plantings well watered is an important step.  Make sure that you keep your non-woody plants (ornamental grasses and flowers) watered above all else.  Then concentrate on identifying how much more water your newly planted woody plants need.  There are many different ways of telling whether a tree or bush needs water.  For evergreen (needled) trees break off a needle and try to bend it.  If it breaks without much bending it needs water, if not, wait.  For deciduous plants watch for wilting or color change.  Silver maples and other trees will change to their autumnal colors when they are under stress, mostly hydrological.

To water your bushes, and ornamentals try to imagine how fast water is percolating through the soil.  Depending on the sand/silt content of your soil it can take multiple 5 minute waterings or one single 10 minute watering to quench the thirst a plant has developed.  Try to water trees with a root feeder (available at your local hardware/lawn and garden store) rather than just by running a hose on top of the ground.

Most tree roots occur below 12" of soil and getting the water to that level immediately will save you time and money because you don't need to soak the ground above it first.

Also, try to watch the weather ahead of time to keep your watering on a bit of a schedule and consider using mulch instead of bare ground or rock (both will let water evaporate more quickly) around your plants.

Edit: I'm sorry it's so long, I wanted to make sure to answer your question fully... :)

AND GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

Your plantings need about 1 inch of water per week total.  You can easily find out how much they are getting by setting out several empty tuna cans (or something similar) and seeing how much water they accumulate during the time you water.  One half inch twice a week is good.  Make life a little easier on yourself by purchasing a timer which can be attached to your spigot and set for the required amount of time.  It's better for your plants to water less frequently and more deeply than to water lightly every other day.

Answer 3

You need to telephone the place where you got your plants. I don't know where you live, but where I live we don't plant trees in the summer, and we don't water in the evening. Where I live, wetting grass in the evening makes for fungal growth over nite.

30 minutes at a time won't do anything for your grass, even if you do it in the morning like you should. You need to move the hose over the same ground several times - the first time to wet it, the second time dampens it, and along about the third time it starts soaking in. This is the difference between deep saturation and runoff: not how much water, but how sensibly applied.

Anyway, consult some specialists in the area where you live. Humidity levels range by 100% between Florida and Arizona, never mind the different areas of Texas.

Answer 4

30 minutes is more than sufficient. You shouldn't water too much at any one time as the water will work its way past the roots and into the deeper soil, which is a waste of the water. 10 minutes watering in one area, then coming back to it 20 minutes later and doing another watering for 10 minutes should be all it needs on a daily basis. Try to do it in the early morning hours if possible.

ADDITIONAL: The new plantings you are supposed to water so that the water does go past the root line, on that you are correct. But you don't need to go far past it. If you water too much at one time, having a continuous flow, then the soil becomes saturated to the point where it eventually seeps far past the roots. Water enough so that the soil becomes slightly saturated, then leave for a bit (20 minutes to a half hour), coming back to water it again as much as you did the first time. This gives the soil a chance to absorb the water better and spread it out evenly, especially if the ground was fairly dry before.

Watering can be done in the evening, too, but if you have a hot day then suddenly being watered can provide a shock to the plants. That's why it is better to water in the early morning hours, starting an hour before dawn, during the Summer. The plants have had a chance to adapt to the cooler temperatures of the evening and react better to the water hitting them. And if you live in humid climes, then watering at night can cause fungus to grow in the soil.

Answer 5

The best time to water your lawn is at night.  we also didn't get ran for the past two weeks and the sun is drying everything up.  I have started watering on Friday night because that's the time I'm allowed to water.  I spray the lawn for twenty minutes on Friday night at about ten O'clock PM and my lawn is doing fine. Also my new plants. If you water during the day, the sun will dry it up before the grass/plants can soak it up.  I hope this helps.