Seasonal Tips for Summer

Adjust your watering schedule as summer heats up by Dean Ruhnke, Seasonal Gardener

As we move into the dog days of summer it’s time to start thinking about adjusting your irrigation system or pulling out the hose and sprinkler. Summer drought is the most stressful time of year for trees and turf grass, so make sure they receive their share of moisture. Irrigating for fewer days but longer time is the best way to help your plants become more drought and winter hardy by encouraging their roots deeper into the soil to go looking for water.

Studies are showing that both turf grass and trees secrete carbon dioxide (CO2) almost equally; keeping them stress free and happy is the key. Lastly, and perhaps most important, you should notice a difference on your water bill by environmentally conserving water.

Here are some irrigation tips to help keep your plants and gardens thriving and your enjoyment high while keeping unwanted growth away and lessening the chances of pests and diseases. This is roughly the irrigation schedule we follow at Toronto Botanical Garden:

• Always check the soil before you think you may need to water. Wilting plants could be occurring due to stomata closing in heat, not lack of water. Check after watering to ensure enough is applied. a scratch test works with your index finger. You want saturated soil down to the big knuckle, about 2.5 centimetres (1 inch).

• If you have an irrigation system installed, as the days of summer get warmer in July and august, it’s time to turn up the frequency of days watering and how long each area is watered.

• Transition from one day of watering in spring to three days in the summer for established gardens. Spring running time was probably 10 minutes or less. For summer increase it to 20 to 30 minutes per area.

• Running time for individual zones varies depending on plant material and sun exposure. So, you may have to adjust zones individually to different running times. Full sun will need longer time than areas in shade cast by buildings. Shade by trees, which allow some sunlight, will require more water.

• Depending on the weather in September, you can start decreasing zone running times and the number of watering days per week as the sun is getting lower in the sky, casting longer shadows and is not nearly as hot.

• When using a hose and sprinkler, you may have to start watering in June once in while, but come July and august, once a week for 1.5 to two hours rotating or moving the sprinkler to new areas should be enough. make sure you have complete coverage and no dry spots. again, come mid September cut down on watering.