Efficient Summer Watering Starts with Roots, Soil
By Tyler Kirckof
Prescott Valley Nursery
The stress of dealing with early summer high tem-
peratures can lower a plants immune system and open
the door for future problems. What we see above
ground is a reflection of what is going
on below ground. Understanding plant
roots and the surrounding soil can help
you water more efficiently and make it to
monsoon season.
Roots need both air and water. Like us,
roots need to breathe between drinks of
water. Roots take in water and nutrients
closer to the tips of the outer branches
than the trunk or the base. Even if the
water well does not extend to the outer
branches, watering with enough volume at a
slow rate will help water get to where the roots are tak-
ing it in. The larger the plant the bigger the root system
is and the greater capacity to store water. Large root
systems such as mature trees and shrubs can store a
much higher volume of water and needs less frequent
watering compared to smaller plants like perennial
flowers or tomatoes.
Most native soils in our area drain slowly, taking a
long period of time to disperse in the soil. The heat
can dry out the top couple of inches as well as cause
the plant to look wilted during the hottest part of the
day, even if the ground is still moist. Before watering
each plant, with your fingers or a small garden tool,
dig down a couple inches next to the root ball and
check how moist the ground is. During this hot and
dry season, the frequency of watering may need to
be increased. For example, a tree or shrub that is
normally watered once a week may need to
be increased to twice a week. A tree be-
ing watered once a month may need to
be increased to twice a month.
Vegetable gardens, lawns, and flower
beds tend to be planted in amended soil
that can dry out much faster than the
native soil in the area. Check the moisture level daily,
preferably in the morning, after a week or two you will
be able to gauge the frequency water is needed.
Gardening is learning from trial and error. Plants live
by their own rules an d just observing on a consistent
basis is a huge tool in growing a greener thumb.
pccnews June 2017
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