How Often Should I Water My Plants Once the Dry Season Starts?

Unfortunately, the correct answer isn’t as easy or hard as you might think.  Here are a few things to think about to help you decide.

• What type of soil do you have?
•    Michigan’s soils vary dramatically from area to area because of the past glaciers.  Whether it’s sandy or clay based soils, use of organic materials will enhance the soil, allowing it to retain more moisture and nutrients for the plants use.

• What types of plants do you have?
•    Some plants require more or less water than others, you should refer to the nursery recommendation labeling.

• How much sun is hitting your plants and what time is it hitting?
•  Mid-day and afternoon times provide the hottest sun.

Therefore, the best way to tell if you should water is not very scientific, it’s almost like child’s play.

Placing your finger in the soil to see if it is dry to the depth of the root system?  Then water!  Water slow so it gets the entire root area completely hydrated. Some plants should be watered very deeply every 2 weeks and others should be watered daily.