One of the most important ways to ensure a healthy landscape is to provide adequate water to your plants and lawn. Newly planted trees and shrubs are especially vulnerable to drought in their first year, so regular watering is essential.
At Oakland, we recommend that you water your new plantings immediately after they are installed, and water them every other week through the Spring rainy season. Once summer hits, they need to be watered every week—especially if we experience drought conditions. Watering right means leaving a slow/light running garden hose at the base of your tree for 15 minutes, or 5-10 for smaller shrubs and bushes. This however can be time consuming.
We frequently get feedback from customers that they are too busy and unable to water their landscape according to its needs. Many customers say that their daily routine consists of coming home in the evening to water. However, doing so is a bad time to water, as watering at night can easily lead to fungus growth or mold since grass and vegetation stays wet longer. Daytime watering is a waste of the money in your pocket; the sun and heat evaporate most water before it is absorbed into the soil. The best time to water is in the early morning, so that the sun can dry off water droplets quickly.
Irrigation systems offer a hassle free, “set it and forget it” way to ensure even, thorough watering of your landscape, even when you’re not home. Automatic sprinkler systems have come a long way in the last several decades: different sprinkler heads can be installed for specific parts of your yard, whether you’re watering grass, shrubs and flowers, or trees. Models available now are incredibly efficient, minimizing wasted water. Irrigation systems can be set to water in the early morning hours, ensuring that your landscape stays lush, green, and healthy.
If you’re thinking about investing in your landscape this year, think also about how you are going to keep it green and thriving throughout the entire growing season. Go even greener with an irrigation system: Oakland Irrigation is a division of Oakland Nursery and can answer all your irrigation system questions. Give them a call at 614-268-3444 for more information or a FREE estimate.
