Little to Regular Water

Question

I am still not certain if I’m watering too much or too little. What does “little to regular water” mean? Or little to moderate? Thanks.

Answer 1

Yes, this can be confusing. New plants need regular watering while they are being established (approximately one year for small plants, two years for shrubs and three years for trees). Water at the dripline to the depth of the root zone (1′ deep for groundcovers and wildflowers, 2′ deep for shrubs and 3′ deep for trees) each time you water. After establishment, plants requiring supplemental irrigation should be watered with a deep soaking per these general guidelines (Note: these have more to do with watering frequency than amount, which on average for most plants is 1-2 inches weekly or a good soaking for at least 20-30 min. during each watering): Moderate/Regular Water Plants – Once established these plants need supplemental water (on average) every 2 weeks during the hottest months, Moderate to Little Water Plants – Once established these plants need occasional supplemental water, Little Water Plants – Once established, these plants need infrequent supplemental water, Little to No Water Plants – Once established, these plants need infrequent to no supplemental water, No Supplemental Water Plants – Once established, these plants can survive on rainfall Since this is hard to make heads and tails of, the best rule of thumb is to stick your finger in the soil (up to first knuckle or about an inch) and if it’s dry, you can give the plants some water. If wet, don’t water. A moisture meter can help with this too.