Watering 101 — Spring & Summer

Sod and new landscape plantings require more water than a normal sprinkler or irrigation system can provide. The guidelines below will help keep your new and established plants healthy and hydrated through spring and summer.

The three universal rules · Water early (just before sunrise). Give new plantings extra TLC until they're rooted in. And remember — too much water drowns roots. "Too much of a good thing" applies.

Section 01 — New Sod

Water new sod daily for two weeks. If the weather is rainy, skip watering that day.
The first 1/2 inch of undersoil should be wet. Check moisture by pulling back an edge of the sod — the soil should be moist but still crumbly, not saturated or muddy.
After 14 days, cut back to every other day and apply less water.
After 30 days, a normal irrigation system should be sufficient.

Section 02 — New Lawn Seed

New lawn seed requires daily watering for the first two to three weeks after planting.
Water no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time to avoid saturation.
After 14 to 21 days, roots will take hold and need deeper watering. Follow the watering directions for mature sod.

Section 03 — New Trees & Shrubs

Water new trees and shrubs two to three times per week.
Place the garden hose directly at the base of the plant, turn the spigot to a slow trickle.
Water shrubs 5 to 10 minutes. Water trees about 30 minutes. The bigger the plant, the more water it will need.
Target the root area — soak the soil about 12 inches deep.
Avoid saturating. Clay soil (common to our area) saturates easily — be especially careful.

Garden hose alternatives

Gator Bag (tree watering bag) — Available at garden supply and hardware stores, made of UV-protected plastic, often sold in multi-packs. The bag wraps around the bottom of the trunk and zip-fastens. Holds up to 20 gallons; water releases slowly through small holes at the bottom. Use two to three times per week.

Deep Root Feeder — We highly recommend these. Deep root feeders take water from the garden hose and apply it directly to roots through a stainless steel tip. Water a tree at the root ball in two or three places for 4 to 5 minutes each. For a shrub, water near the roots for 3 to 4 minutes.

Section 04 — Existing Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials

Rule of thumb: apply 1 to 2 inches of moisture per week in summer, every other week in fall.

Let the top few inches of soil dry between watering sessions.
Remove the nozzle. Place the garden hose directly at the base of the tree or shrub.
Trickle the hose at a slow rate, targeting the base.
For perennials, hand-water with the nozzle on a gentle rate. 10 to 15 seconds at the base of each plant.
Don't let water run off the base — if it does, the spray nozzle is open too far.

What works best · Hand watering is the best way to water perennials. Deep root feeder is the best way to water trees and shrubs — insert the stainless steel tip into the root area and water for 10 seconds.