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watering
guidelines hile some elements of
your new
landscape such as patios and retaining walls require little in the way
of ongoing maintenance, the success of new lawns and other plantings is
dependent on proper care, especially in the first weeks after
installation.Newly planted sod must be watered as soon as possible after being planted. It needs sufficient water to saturate the sod itself and to penetrate at least 2 inches into the soil base. Depending on the initial moisture content of soil and sod, this will require 1 to 2 inches of water. It may take an hour or longer to supply this amount of water using a mobile sprinkler and a 1/2" garden hose. To check if you have watered long enough in one spot, lift the corner of a piece of sod - the underlying soil should be wet to the center of the piece of sod. The soil will become wet first along the edges of the sod, slowly penetrating to the center. After the initial, heavy watering, the sod requires smaller amounts of water on a regular basis - just enough to maintain moisture levels. If outside temperatures are in the low- to mid-20s, you will need 1/3" to 1/2" daily to keep the sod from drying out. If temperatures rise into the high 20s or 30s, the sod may need up to an inch of water daily, split between morning and evening sessions. The grass will show a vibrant green if it has adequate water. A greyish color indicates the need for more water. If the lack of water continues the grass will turn brown, at which point it will be difficult to recover the sod. After the first week, assuming adequate water the sod will already have shallow roots established. Reducing the frequency of watering will allow the soil at the surface to dry slightly encouraging the development of a deeper root system. Water every second day in week two and every third or fourth day in week three. By the end of the first month you should be able to reduce watering to about a half inch of water once a week. Continue to watch your lawn closely in hotter weather and increase water as needed. No fertilizer is required for new sod. The sod arrives from the sod farm with optimal levels of fertilizer. If you wish you can apply a fall fertilizer treatment, but avoid mixtures that are high in nitrogen(25-5-5 or 10-2-2). The high nitrogen blends are commonly used on turf because it encourages strong, green top growth, but this can stress your new lawn with its not fully developed root system. A fertilizer with a higher phosphorus content(2-10-2 or 6-20-6) will promote strong root development, which is crucial to a healthy lawn. Trees and shrubs require a different watering strategy than lawns. Because they are planted with larger root balls that penetrate deeper into the ground they are slower to dry out. A general rule is to water smaller trees and shrubs 1" to 2" per week for the first couple of months, then gradually reduce watering to the same half inch per week that is recommended for lawns. Larger caliper trees, while still needing adequate moisture, are more prone to over-watering than smaller plants. The problem lies with the heavy clay soil that is found in the Winnipeg area. Water moves very slowly through this clay. The hole that is dug prior to planting can form a basin that holds water in the root zone of the new tree. If that basin is not allowed to dry out periodically, the new roots that are being pushed by the tree into the surrounding soil can rot before they have a chance to establish themselves. This is probably the most common cause of tree death in the first couple of years after planting. To avoid "root rot" it is best to water large trees deeply once every week or two, allowing the root zone to dry slightly between waterings. If a tree is planted along with sod, care must be taken not to water the tree directly while watering the sod. In general, perennials can be watered according to the guidelines for small trees and shrubs - 1" to 2" weekly for the first couple of months, reducing to a half inch of water per week. In the long term different perennials have very different requirements. Some native perennials will thrive with almost no supplementary water while other will benefit from almost daily watering. Never hesitate to contact us if you have questions regarding the care of your gardens. |
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