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Northwest summers are as dry as our winters are wet. We have about three straight months of dry weather coming up and it’s time to get prepared. If you have irrigation or a sprinkler system, now is the time to make sure they are in tip top shape and ready to go (let us know if you need help). Whether you have a sprinkler timer or you water by hand, it can be good to get on a regular schedule of watering.

There are a few plants that will need extra care this summer. We wanted to give you a few tips for making sure the new, young tender plants in your yard survive the dry weather! Whether you had a landscape planting installed by our crew or planted them yourselves, they will need your care in order to thrive!

 

June watering

 

Tender new plantings: Newly planted trees and shrubs have been grown in ideal nursery conditions and will need to adjust to living outdoors in your landscape. They have been in a root ball or container their whole lives and will now spread out their roots and adapt to the soil in your yard. This process can be a little bit traumatic. So, we can help them adjust by giving them extra water throughout the summer months. Water deeply and heavily a few times a week, during hot weather, for the best results. Keep an eye on your plants for signs of stress or dehydration.

 

watering

 

Young, shallow roots: Some young new plants have short, shallow root systems that haven’t fully developed yet. These plants will need more water than well-established shrubs or perennials. Anything you start from seed (vegetables or annuals) will need extra water while they are in the seed-to-seedling stage. Newly planted vegetable or flower starts also need frequent water to help them acclimate to the soil and get over the shock of being transplanted.

Once these plants have settled into their new homes and adjusted to the shock of being transplanted, they will need less frequent watering. In fact, infrequent but deep watering encourages plants to grow deeper roots and will increase plant health over time. However, in the beginning, it’s best to baby them just a little bit.