If you happen to be like the great majority of homeowners, and have succumbed to the easier routine of setting your landscape watering system to irrigate your plants at regular intervals, yet soon enough find yourself looking at very dry soil and foliage, you need to read on.
There is little doubt in the minds of most homeowners that it is in fact easier to just set the timer on your sprinklers to take care of your landscape watering needs. The foolproof, never fails, irrigation system, right? For the most part, you are perfectly fine by relying on your automated irrigation system, except under the following three conditions.
Excess rain: Often times your landscaping will get a bit of extra help in the form of a deluge of rain water from Mother Nature. If you expect rain in the forecast, your best bet in saving money on your water bill as well as conserving under any drought conditions that may exist, is to turn off your automated irrigation system until the storm passes. Water has become very precious in many parts of the country, and it always helps to due your part. Not only that, too much watering from a rainstorm on top of the landscape irrigation system will not give the soil enough time to drain properly.
Dry weather conditions: The second condition that a homeowner should pay attention to is unusually dry weather conditions compared to normal as a result of not enough rain. Perhaps you are experiencing a drought in your part of the country. Again, every homeowner needs to evaluate their individual landscape watering needs, but should only water as much as is absolutely necessary. Many homeowners unknowingly water way more than their landscaping requires. It could be that they have forgotten what the little information tag said at the nursery regarding the plant they decided to purchase, and have ended up watering that little Rosemary plant several times a week, when it actually requires very little watering at all once established.
Strong wind conditions: Finally, raise an eyebrow to any excessive winds that blow your way, for they too can put an unusual strain on your plants, flowers, and especially the soil they grow in. In the same way that windy conditions can dry out our own skin, they too will suck a lot of the moisture out of your soil. It never hurts to take the reliable three inch soil test, especially during conditions of high winds. Just stick your finger in the soil about three inches, and if the soil is dry, it probably means that plant needs some watering. There are exceptions to the rule though, such as in the case of that little Rosemary plant that is very drought tolerant and in fact, thrives under drier conditions.
Your best bet is to do a little research about the various irrigation requirements of your landscaping, find someone who can do it for you, or buy a more costly moisture sensitive irrigation system that will take your worries away. In any event, just pay attention to the three weather conditions mentioned above for your landscape watering needs, and you will be doing your plants a favor.
Happy watering!
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