Summer Watering Basics

The question of watering landscape plants in the relatively hot Northwest summers is one to attentively consider. The issue is both complex and simple. Water is a luxury that we often take for granted and it is wise to appreciate its value. With that in mind limiting summer watering of our landscapes has a beneficial impact on our environment and for our own families. Many areas in the world live with water restrictions and this is also a reality we already face or possibly can face locally. Take for instance Las Vegas which has to truck in enormous amounts of water just to sustain its way of life.

Watering our landscapes in the summer however is often essential and beneficial to our plantings. New plants often need 2-3 years of late spring/summer watering to help them establish in their new location. Summer watering of less hardy plants is also needed yearly. Many established native plants as well as established drought tolerant selections will make it through the summer with no summer watering needed. Summer watering will benefit even drought tolerant plantings with improved health and appearance.

In general, a good method to follow with watering of landscape plants is longer periods of watering with greater intervals between watering. For example, in general, plants will establish deeper root systems, adapt to more natural conditions, and become more drought resistant if you water 2 times a week in the summer for 35-40 minutes per zone as compared to 5 times a week at 15-20 minutes per zone. This method reduces the amount of water used and keeps in mind the long term health of plants. There are exemptions such as watering of newly seeded lawns that need shallow frequent watering schedules to help them establish.

One may ask if summer watering can be avoided altogether, both to save money and to benefit the environment. The answer is yes! Summer watering can be avoided entirely. It is mainly a matter of personal preference, aesthetic tolerance, and budget constraints. Lawns can be left to brown out entirely and go dormant. This puts a greater strain on lawn health however and can lead to more weeds and patchiness. An option is to give your browned out lawn an hour long watering every 2 weeks to give it a little extra boost to make it through the summer. We believe the key to summer watering is the consideration of long term plant health and proper plant selection.

If you do decide that a green lawn is desirable in the summer here are some suggestions. Water very early in the morning between 3-6am. You want to saturate your soil with water, without runoff, to an ideal depth of a foot or more. Watering early in the morning reduces water loss to evaporation and still allows plants and lawns to dry off during the day without staying wet over night which can lead to certain disease issues. For established lawns watering 2-3 days a week for 35-45 minute periods is usually sufficient. If super green lawns are desired 3-4 days of watering may be required. Stick to the longer watering periods however as this encourages deeper root growth which in turn benefits the lawn areas over time.

Landscape plants will also benefit from summer watering. New plants should receive 2-3 days of 25-35 minute watering periods. Established plants may not need any water at all but will benefit from a once a week watering for half and hour. Less hardy plants may need 2 days a week of watering at around a half hour period.

Please keep in mind that the above are general guidelines and suggestions for summer watering and will vary with each landscape, soil condition, plant variety, etc. Enjoy your Northwest summer.