How Often Should I Water My Loropetalum After Laying Mulch, And How Do I Use Shake N’ Feed Fertilizer After Laying That Mulch.

Question

I’m in zone 8b. I just bought a bunch of 3-gallon loropetalum to plant on my front yard, full sun. I know That’s risky to do in the summer, but I really wanted to at least give it a shot. Our soil has clay in it. I tried to loosen the soil as best as I could before planting. Some of them I fertilized before laying mulch. But some of them were planted at a different time, and without thinking about it, I laid the mulch before fertilizing. Should I rake up the mulch before adding fertilizer? Also, I’m confused about how often I should be watering after laying mulch. I know mulch helps retain moisture in the soil, but our weather has been extremely hot and dry the past couple weeks, and will probably remain this way for the next couple weeks. I’m worried about keeping their “feet wet” and causing root rot. Also, when I do water, how deeply should I do it? How do I tell if I can’t see the soil due to the mulch? Thanks so much for any help!

Answer 1

You will have to use a meter! This article will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-moisture-in-plants.htm

This article will help you care for the plant:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/loropetalum/loropetalum-shrubs.htm