Water Smarts for Luscious Lawns, Gardens

Planting a successful, water-wise garden need not be difficult – unless, of course, you expect nature to do all the work

By Mary E. Connors
CTW Features

In most cases, gardens aren’t likely to receive the prescribed amount of rain, no matter where you place them. Therefore, proper irrigation plans and watering schedules are essential ingredients in the recipe for a thriving plant community. It’s especially important to water frequently while the plants are establishing a root system.

To help make sure you won’t be looking at wilted or dried stems, and to prevent plant leaves from becoming superhighways for troublemaking bugs, a few simple tips are in order.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a map of 20 zones based on the average minimum annual winter temperature. Tied to those zones are requirements for the area’s native plants to flourish. In most cases, planting should be done in the fall to give the plants a chance to develop before being subjected to the heat and drier conditions of summer. Don’t disregard mulch, which helps keep the soil moist through the year and at a relatively even temperature during colder periods. It doesn’t look bad, either. Minneapolis, for instance, is in the 3A and 3B area. Plants that thrive there, such as the rose shrub, can shrug off frigid temperatures in winter and blossom into showcase plants in spring and summer.

Once the weather warms, though, snowmelt won’t be keeping the soil moist, so pay attention to watering. Pansies, snap dragons and geraniums often are a focal point in this locale and need only occasional watering to keep going strong. However, an abundance of bug activity makes pest control a major concern.

But having a green thumb doesn’t mean you have carte blanche to do something foolish, like taking plants that flourish in Southern California and stuffing them into your back yard in North Dakota.

In addition to dealing with differences in temperature and moisture, the soil’s acidity might be just the opposite of what’s needed for a particular item.

In the desert Southwest, sometimes it’s not enough to pick the right plant and offer proper watering. The soil might need a makeover. Ever seen anything grow in caliche besides prickly weeds? That soil is the closest thing to a sidewalk this side of concrete. Yet by tilling the hard-packed ground and adding gypsum to help break it down, and by including about 6 inches of topsoil, a garden can work well. Mixing in sand will aid in drainage.

In zones where the sun almost is omnipresent, shade and frequent, slow watering is essential. Since water has a tendency to run off quickly in this area and not reach a plant’s roots, the emphasis in watering is on “slow.” Don’t count on downpours to do your job.

But in areas a whole lot closer to the water table, such as New Orleans, where much of the city is below sea level, it’s often necessary to build up your garden so the plants’ roots aren’t soaking in stagnant water, which will cause root rot.

When making irrigation channels in elevated gardens, make sure the stem of the plant is at a higher elevation than the water passing through the recessed ditches, or else you’ve probably wasted a lot of time.

Also, when mulching, don’t build up the mounds too close to the roots, or you’ll be providing shelter for rodents. Slugs and snails always are nocturnal nuisances, so keep an eye out – it’s amazing how fast they can move.

In the Northeast, yuccas and hostas can make even the most careless gardener appear to know what he’s doing. Blackeye daisies have a propensity to endure even in the most adverse conditions.

A good rule of thumb for watering: Dig a little hole in the soil. If it’s dry only in the top inch, don’t water. Once the soil is dry to a depth of 1.5 inches or deeper, then water.

Hardy marigolds, which come in a variety of vibrant colors, flourish in the Northeast, especially in the fall, provided they receive copious amounts of water in the early stages. Portulacas, meanwhile, are drought-tolerant and ideal for rock gardens.

Whatever you do, if you fertilize, make sure the soil is moist, and that you periodically mix in organic matter rich in nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

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