Irrigating Plants

Drip irrigation is the best method to irrigate plants. Some reasons plants do better on a drip system include:

• Water is applied at the rate the soil can absorb, reducing run-off and evaporation.
  
  
• Drip irrigation applies water to the root zone of the plants and not all the surrounding areas, reducing weeds.
  
  
• Deeper watering creates deeper roots, especially with trees. Deeper roots provide better anchoring and stability, protection from hot surface temperatures and a greater amount of nutrients.

Run times for drip irrigation

You need to know how many gallons of water your drip emitters produce per hour to accurately set your irrigation system. Learn more about drip emitter types.

Frequency

Drip irrigation is usually needed less frequently than sprinkler irrigation. Generally, the following frequency should provide most plants with sufficient water:

• 1 day per week or less during the winter
• 2 days per week during spring and fall
• 3 days per week during the summer

Deep watering is more important than frequency, so be sure to check the soil for moisture and proper drainage. Watering restrictions also apply to drip irrigation.

Sunday is not an optional watering day. Make sure you know your watering group and the mandatory watering restrictions.

Tree irrigation

Trees should be watered well enough to penetrate the soil to a depth of 18 to 24 inches. The type of tree and the season will determine a watering schedule. Check with a professional landscaper if you're unsure of how much water trees in your landscape require.

Plant needs

When you plant a flower, tree or shrub, make sure you provide drip emitters that cover the plant's current and future needs. That means that if you expect a tree's branches to stretch 10 feet from the base of the trunk, lay out emitters that will cover that circumference. As they mature, most plants will be able to get water from other plants' drip emitters.