Make your watering count
July in the garden can be trying—trying to stay cool, trying to fend off mosquitoes, trying to keep the plants from scorching. No matter how you hydrate your lawn or garden—sprinklers, soakers, drip irrigation or hand-watering—the same basic advice applies. Water in early morning or late afternoon, to avoid losing moisture to evaporation. When you water, make it count—a good, long soaking (4–6 inches deep) every few days or weekly is much better than a daily spritz. Lawns and gardens need about 1–2 inches of water per week (from rain or irrigation), and every two to three days in hot weather. If you’re watering with sprinklers or nozzles, you can gauge the amount applied by placing several empty tuna or cat food cans within the spraying area. Water at a rate of about 1⁄2 inch per hour to allow infiltration and prevent runoff. Keep in mind that young plants, shrubs and trees may need larger amounts of water until they are established. When watering with a handheld hose, soak the bases of plants if practical. If water runs off too quickly, move to another spot and come back after the water has been absorbed. Be judicious when watering. If you see one or two stressed plants, water them with a jug or spray of a hose, rather than soaking the whole garden.
For hand-watering, apply about 5 gallons of water per 10 square feet—the amount delivered by a 5/8-inch garden hose operated for 1 minute at medium pressure. Water shrubs less than 4 feet in height for about 1 minute; water another 15 seconds for each additional foot of height. Large trees need about 6 or 7 gallons for each 10 square feet of canopy.
Soaker hoses are an inexpensive way to get water right where it needs to be, at the roots. But it can be a frustrating dance to get the hoses uncoiled and in position. To work out the kinks, lay them in the sun for a while before placing them. Cheap drip-irrigation systems for small gardens are also available.
Mulch is an excellent way to retain soil moisture. In beds, 2–4 inches is about right (for shredded bark). Too thick a layer can create a mat or barrier that keeps water from entering. Don’t let mulch touch plant stems. When mulching trees, think doughnut, not volcano. Leave a depression in the center, and keep the inside rim at least 12 inches from the trunk of the tree. Do not apply more than 4 inches of mulch. How much mulch should you buy? A 3-inch layer spread over 10 square feet requires about 25 cubic feet of mulch. For a handy, interactive mulch calculator for your specific needs, visit this Cornell Cooperative Extension link—www.ccenassau.org/hort/html/calculator_soil_amend.html