Don't Just Water - Water Wisely

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Given the current drought, it’s more important than ever not just to water your landscape, but also to water wisely.

Watering wisely doesn’t mean turning on the sprinkler every time your community regulations permit. “Just because you can water every odd or even-numbered day, doesn’t mean you should,” said Robert Hursthouse, president of the Oak Brook, Ill.-based Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA).

“One of the mistakes I see people making is using too little water, too frequently,” added Hursthouse, who heads a full-service landscape firm in Naperville. “If you’re spraying plants with a hand-held hose, all you’re doing is just getting the top wet. Very little moisture is actually getting to the plant.”

Saturating an area and allowing it to dry out before watering again encourages roots to grow deeper to “chase” moisture, creating stronger, healthier plants. A deeper root system also helps plants withstand drought conditions, Hursthouse explained. Frequent, superficial watering actually encourages plants to maintain shallow roots that reach up toward the moisture.

It may also surprise you to know that the sprinkler is not the most efficient way to water, except when it comes to lawns. For other plants, soaker hoses, drip irrigation or a slowly running hose are the best ways to get water to the roots where it’s most needed. These methods also prevent water loss through evaporation, avoid watering pavement and other non-targeted surfaces, and lessen the likelihood of fungal diseases developing on wet foliage.

Nick Gallate, president of Bruno Gallate & Sons, a full service landscape company in Tinley Park, Ill., recommends letting the hose run at the base of each plant for five or 10 minutes instead of using a sprinkler. “That way you’re getting the benefit of all the water going right into the ground,” he said.

Although many people are distressed when their lawns turn brown, the bigger problem is trees, shrubs and perennials, Gallate said. “Your lawn may look like straw right now, but it will come back,” he said. “It’s the other plants you’ve got to be more careful with.”

The drought has been steadily deepening since spring, noted Sherm Fields, vice president of Acres Group, a large landscape firm in Wauconda, Ill.  He cautioned that plants stressed by drought conditions are much more susceptible to damage by insects and diseases. “Just like with a person that’s sick or undernourished, you get weak and then things attack you,” he explained. 

Eric Moore, ILCA executive vice-president, from Moore Landscapes, Inc. Northbrook, addresses the mulching issue. “A 2- to 3- inch layer of organic mulch in planting beds and around trees and shrubs helps keep the soil cooler, slows evaporation and prevents moisture loss. Ideally, the mulch should be applied in the spring before dry weather arrives so existing moisture in the ground is preserved for as long as possible. But you can mulch now. Just make sure the plants have been watered thoroughly before adding the mulch as any light rains would have trouble penetrating this extra layer.”  

To help homeowners get the most from their watering efforts, ILCA offers these additional tips that lawn and landscape contractors can share with their clients:

• Water early in the morning whenever possible. This avoids using water during peak times of the day, cuts down on water loss through evaporation and prevents fungus problems.
• Monitor plants. Plants may need more or less water depending upon their location. Plants under roof overhangs and close to buildings may receive limited rainfall while plants near heat-reflecting surfaces like driveways, patios and sidewalks may dry out more quickly.
• Check newbies. Plants installed in the last few years will not have established root structures capable of meeting the plant’s needs during dry conditions. They’ll need additional water.
• Don’t forget mature trees. Even mature trees need supplemental water to keep them healthy during droughts.
• Raise mower height. Letting your lawn grow a little longer will help the blades of grass conserve moisture. Set your mower to remove no more than 1/3 of the leaf at each mowing.
• Weed. Weeds compete with ornamental plants for moisture. Often, weeds use twice the water of ornamental plants.  (No wonder they grow so fast.) In addition to pulling weeds, you can use weed barriers, mulch or herbicides to keep weeds under control.
• Don’t prune. Pruning – especially shearing – promotes new growth, which demands a lot of water.
• Plant it right. Choosing a plant whose water and other needs match the location is especially important during dry periods. A water-loving river birch planted on a hot berm will need a lot of water to make it through a hot, dry spell, as will impatiens that are planted in a sunny spot. Properly preparing the soil with plenty of organic matter before planting will also promote healthy growth and water conservation.

Monthly landscaping tips are available on ILCA’s Web site, www.ilca.net under Consumer Information. ILCA also offers free color brochures on landscape planning and garden center selection as well as a list of member landscape contractors and garden centers.  Call 630/472-2851 for more information.