Watering Your Landscape the First Year

Heavy Soil

Dig a 6-inch deep hole near the root ball of a newly planted plant. Understand the soil moisture. Feel the soil, it should never be soggy and should be almost dry to just slightly damp before watering. Add water at a trickle to soak the original root ball, but do not flood the hole to overflowing.

Light Soil 

Water thoroughly. Watering for longer with a slow trickle will provide the deep watering needed. Normal lawn sprinkling will not provide adequate water for your new landscape plants. 

Not all plants are the same and need to be watered different amounts. Many factors will determine how much you need to water your plants. Some plants get more sun than others; therefore, they get more evaporation. Some are in direct competition with bigger trees like an oak. How do you know how much water is enough? We recommend performing the index finger test. This is where you penetrate the soil around the plant with your index finger about three inches deep and see how wet the soil is. If you pull out mud, then you should skip watering. If it is wet and sticks a little bit, you can wait or add a little bit of water. If it is dry, then soak it with water. We recommend you research each plant and get to know them!

Landscaping Tips