After a long, cold, dry winter spell, your garden is ready for a recharge. Timing is everything; getting your planting coordinated with a smart irrigation schedule will get things moving for the season. Prepping your garden for a successful summer full of gorgeous blooming flowerbeds and thriving shrubbery. Learn how the changing seasons affect moisture levels in the soil and how that impacts planting. Prevent wasted work and help your flowers and shrubs thrive when the warm weather arrives.
Seasonal Planting Tips to Complement Your Irrigation Schedule
Early Spring: Reviving the Soil
The first warm spell might tempt you to break out the shovel and dig out those flowerbeds. But hold your horses and give the soil some time to recover from the stress of the winter freeze. Read on before you start tilling the earth and prepping for planting season. Digging out beds early can lead to compacted roots and drainage issues later in the season. Testing for moisture before planting prevents these issues. When soil crumbles in your hand but won’t stick in a ball, you’re ready to get planting. Adjust your sprinkler heads as the seasons change. This ensures different plants get sufficient water, depending on their needs and your soil type. Cool-season flowers can withstand cold nights and give your yard early color. Early season flowers include:
- Pansies
- Violas
- Primroses
Shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, establish themselves quickly in the colder weather, so watering practices are less challenging. Local weather and spring rains do most of the work. Keeping track of dry periods to know when it’s time to water is crucial.
Late Spring to Early Summer: Adjusting Your Irrigation Schedule To Prepare for the Heat
As temperatures rise, watering habits need to change. Drought-tolerant plants require minimal watering once established. Perennials like coneflowers and Susans can handle warmer temperatures. However, spirea and hydrangea bushes enjoy early planting before hot weather sets in. Mulching around newly planted shrubs and flowers keeps moisture from evaporating, lessening midday stress. Apply water regularly but not excessively to prevent overwatering. Early morning watering lets the plants absorb the water before the sun gets too intense. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses work better than sprinklers since they deliver water directly to the plant roots. This irrigation keeps leaves and flowers dry and reduces the odds of fungal infections.
Midsummer: Don’t Let Your Plants Drown
The hottest weeks of the year bring the biggest watering challenges to gardening schedules. Heat stress affects shallow-rooted flowers that don’t get enough water, and waterlogged soil can drown shrubs with long taproots. Grouping plants by watering needs ensures every plant gets what it needs. It can be easy to fall into the cycle of surface-level watering. This mistake leads to weak root system development. A few deep waterings a week build stronger root systems and resistance to drought. Although evening watering is convenient, don’t leave water standing overnight. This can lead to:
- Fungal growth
- Pest infestations
- Uneven amounts of water absorption
Morning waterings balance everything in the garden, conserving water and keeping plants healthy.
Fall: Hardening Plants for the Winter Months Ahead
As the weather becomes colder, a change to the irrigation routine helps plants prepare for winter dormancy. Fall is the time for planting bushes and trees, giving them a head start before winter. Asters and sedum perennials thrive when planted in the fall, giving them time to establish root systems before the first frost. Remember—even with the cooler air in the fall, plants need watering. Reduced watering too soon stresses them when building energy reserves to make it through the winter. A once-a-week deep soak during the transition period is beneficial for establishing strong, resilient root systems. Gradual watering benefits the plants without shocking them.
Adjusting Your Irrigation Schedule: Working Together with the Seasons
Monitoring seasonal changes, soil moisture, and watering times leads to healthier, more vigorous plant growth every season. Remember this: Precise watering schedules significantly affect how flowers and bushes take hold during the growing seasons.
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