- Test your soil: Knowing the pH and nutrient levels of your soil is crucial for determining what plants will thrive in your garden. You can purchase a soil test kit or have your soil professionally tested i.e. by White Rock Tree Wizards.
- Add organic matter: Adding organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure to your soil helps to improve its structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient content.
- Mulch: Mulching your garden beds helps to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Use a 2-inch layer of organic mulch such as wood chips.
- Use drip irrigation in your beds: Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the root zone of your plants, minimizing water loss through evaporation. This also helps to prevent fungal diseases caused by over watering.
- Water deeply: When you do water your plants and trees, it’s important to water them deeply to encourage deep root growth. This helps plants to become more drought-tolerant. Trees should be deeply watered 1x/week 52 weeks of the year and 2x/week when temperatures are above 90 degrees. Deep watering of trees amounts to 10-15 gallons of water (2-3 minutes) per diameter inch (at chest height) or 3-5 gallons (1 minute) per circumference inch; each watering.
- Avoid compaction: Avoid driving or parking below the canopies of your trees as this can compact the soil, kill the all-important feeder-roots, and impair drainage or water uptake.
- Plant in well-draining soil: Choose plants and trees that are well-suited to your soil type and drainage conditions. Most plants and trees prefer well-draining soil.
In addition to the general tips outlined above, it’s important to consider the specific watering and drainage needs of your plants and trees during each of the four seasons in North Texas. Here’s a closer look at the seasonal considerations for watering and drainage:
Winter: During the winter months, believe it or not, it’s important to make sure your plants and trees are getting enough water. Winter is when trees root-systems become especially active while their canopies above may be in dormancy. Trees root-systems are busy during the Winter months; repairing, growing, and storing up water and nutrients. So watering in the Winter is critical when conditions are dry. The soil tends to be dry and cold, so it’s important to water deeply to help your plants and trees survive the winter. Be sure to mulch your beds to help retain moisture and protect your plants and trees from extreme temperature fluctuations.
Spring: As the weather warms up and the soil begins to thaw, your plants and trees will start to come out of dormancy and will continue to need water. Keep an eye on the weather and water your plants when the soil feels dry about an inch below the surface. Use drip irrigation in the beds to deliver water directly to the root zone of your plants (but be careful not to keep the root-balls of your trees continuously damp or soggy). A continuously damp or soggy root-ball engenders fungal root-rot. Most trees prefer a good “drink” of water once or twice per week and that their root-systems are then allowed to dry out between waterings.
Summer: In the hot, dry summer months, it’s important to water your plants and trees more; and deeply; and consistently across the entirely of the trees’ root-systems (the entire area covered by the trees’ canopies) to keep them healthy. Use mulch in the beds (no more than 2”) to help retain moisture in the soil. Consider using drip irrigation in the beds to minimize water loss through evaporation (but be careful not to keep the root-balls of your trees continuously damp or soggy).
Fall: As the weather cools down and your plants and trees begin to enter dormancy, you can reduce the frequency of watering. For trees, once temperatures drop below 90 degrees, one deep watering per week is ideal. Mulch your beds to help retain moisture and protect your plants and trees root-systems from extreme temperature fluctuations.
By paying attention to the specific watering and drainage needs of your plants and trees during each season, you can help to ensure their health and vitality throughout the year. Proper watering and drainage is an essential component of Plant Health Care (PHC), and by following these tips you can help to create a thriving garden or landscape in North Texas.
While it’s important for homeowners in the Dallas area to be proactive in managing the health and well-being of their plants and trees, sometimes it can be overwhelming to keep up with the latest innovations and treatments. That’s where Plant Health Care (PHC) professionals can be extremely helpful. Call White Rock Tree Wizards anytime you feel you need professional advice or assistance.
PHC professionals such as White Rock Tree Wizards are trained to understand the specific needs of trees and plants in different environments, and they have access to the latest research and technologies to help keep your plants and trees healthy and thriving. They can provide personalized recommendations for watering, fertilization, and pest control based on the specific needs of your garden or landscape.
Hiring a PHC professional can in fact also save you a great deal of money, time and effort! They can take care of the regular maintenance tasks that are necessary for healthy plants, such as pruning, feeding, insect and disease control. “A stitch in time saves nine” really applies here. Plant Health Care services can be especially helpful for homeowners who don’t have the time, energy or expertise to devote to these tasks or can ill-afford to invest in a plethora of potential remedies when the problems, and solutions, are often straight-forward for a trained professional.
For a thorough, professional, cost-efficient assessment of your trees, landscape, irrigation or drainage systems, call White Rock Tree Wizards today: 972-803-6313.- #planthealthcare
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