Like a child being born, your newly planted ’defenseless’ garden requires special attention. Here are some tips to help you move smoothly through this infant stage. Building a sturdy root system during the first year of your garden’s life will create a strong foundation whence with a little maintenance you will be able to enjoy the beauty of a healthy garden.
How much water should I give my newly planted garden?
Generally, newly planted trees and shrubs should receive one thorough watering (1 inch) a week. In prolonged periods of hot and dry or windy weather, it will be necessary to water more frequently. Because of their smaller root systems perennials and groundcovers will need more frequent watering
These are guidelines. Be aware of weather conditions. Refer to your rain gauge- empty it after each rainfall after recognizing the amount that actually reached the earth. A beneficial rain event, eliminating the need for watering, should be at least one inch of water per week.
Check the soil itself, put your finger a few inches down: is it dry? In the beginning, checking soil moisture every two days will help clarify dry versus wet soil. Realize that overwatering can potentially kill plants too.
Observe your garden, be close to it, get to know every plant individually and begin to understand their needs.
How do I water my newly planted garden?
*For the first month:
It will take approximately one month for your newly planted babies to settle down and root into their new soil. During this period individual watering is required for any single plant; the use of a watering wand is recommended.
*After the first month:
The use of a sprinkler is recommended to water your perennial and annual plants, but we do not advocate the use of a sprinkler to water trees and large shrubs. To encourage a strong root system for trees and large shrubs watering must be deep and less frequent (as opposed to shallow and frequent). The best way to do this is to use a doughnut sprinkler on a low water volume or a water breaker nozzle on a low water volume and allow a slow trickle of water soak into the rootball for 10 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the tree or shrub. Sprinklers are inefficient at this stage of the plant’s life as dense foliage acts as an umbrella over the undeveloped root system. Until the roots reach out into the soil and beyond the ‘rootball’ of the container it was purchased in, special attention will need to be made to direct the water to the root system. Wet foliage does not necessarily equate to a moist root system. The goal is to keep the root system moist to stimulate root development.
Should I water in winter?
The answer is yes, if there as been below average rainfall. Watering in late November or December ensures that plant’s roots have sufficient moisture to help them thru the winter. Broadleaf evergreens (Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Hollies, etc…) will also greatly benefit from winter watering. Thoroughly soak these plants 3-4 times throughout the winter when precipitation has been minimal or absent and when daytime temperatures exceed 40 degrees F. Water during mid-day. Fall watering is very important (as plants are storing reserves for winter cold protection) but by itself, may not overcome damages created by lack of water in the summer.
Maintenance Tips
*A regular weeding of your garden will prevent the invasion of undesirable plants. A half hour a week weeding should be sufficient to keep the garden tidy and will be more efficient than a two-hour weeding once a month. Preventing weeds from forming seeds is the best method to achieve a weed-free garden. The traditional saying “One weed seeding, seven years weeding!” are words to garden by!
*Take a regular survey of your garden. Clean up dead branches on trees and shrubs, yellow foliage on perennials. Take mental notes as to why branches may be dying or leaves yellowing. Is this natural or is there a water issue: too much or too little? Realize also that, in general, cleaning spent flowers (deadheading) will encourage blooming.
*The best time to mulch is February or March before plants have emerged. Too much mulch can suffocate good plants but unfortunately does not typically smother weeds. Apply a thin layer (1/2 Inch) at the base of plants and 1-2 inches elsewhere. Dyed mulch is not good for your soils, not good for your plants and probably not good for handling. The dyes are applied to provide a consistent color to the building material waste they attempting to disguise in the form of mulch.
