Watering Tips for Current Weather

I am sure you’ve noticed the wonderfully cool weather we have been having. It looks to be continuing for the next 10 days at least! We have been getting some reports of diseases at The Greenery, so I wanted to say a word about watering.

With this cool weather and cooler nights comes a much less demanding water schedule. The schedule you may have set for the 100 degree+ heat spell is going to be too much water for the current weather. Why? Biological activity slows down as the temperature drops which means the plants aren’t doing as much growing. We are also on the back side of summer which means the days are growing shorter too.

How do I know if I am overwatering?

Overwatering symptoms will manifest different ways in different plants. Typically the new leaves will become yellow with green veins, called Chlorosis. You may also see Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, rust, fungus on lawns, mushrooms and other nuisances. You severe cases you will see dieback which is caused by roots rotting.

So how should I be watering?

Depending on what you are watering, you need to reduce the frequency and length of time of watering. For instance unless you have new sod or seeded lawn, you should not have to water more than 3 times a week at the very most. I have only been watering my lawn at home twice a week. For containers you may notice that during your daily watering the containers are still moist. STOP! If the soil is moist (whether in the ground or in container) then don’t water! I always recommend an inexpensive Moisture Meter if you aren’t sure about moisture levels. The meter will read right away and tell you if you need to water or not.

I’m still not sure about watering

If you still have questions regarding watering your yard, garden or containers just call or stop by the nursery and we will discuss it with you!

Enjoy the cool weather!!

-Adria