How to Measure the Output of Your Water Sprinkler

Well, I'm David Efstein this is Growing Wisdom and we’re going to talk about watering today. We’re going to talk about when to water and what to water and how much to water. Those are the three things we’ll be speaking about.

So let's talk about when. When you're watering plants outside whether at your lawn, trees, shrubs, annuals the best thing to do is water them early in the morning. Water them between about 5:00AM and 8:00AM. The reason to water early in the morning is that the sun can be very stronger in the middle part of the day if you water then each little drop of water can act like a magnifying glass and that can burn the leaves, so the when is important.

What about how much? I like to say water you lawn three quarters to an inch of water per week during the summer. But how do you know how much water in whether you have a sprinkler or whether you have an irrigation system you really don’t know how much water you're putting of that’s the reason these were in my hand. If you put one of these in the lawn turn your irrigation system or your sprinkle are on let it go for say 15 minutes. If you get a quarter of an inch you get addition hour. That’s a good measure of how much water your system is putting out.

As far as how much to water say containers of annuals it’s really depending on the container the soil type so it tough for me to tell you what I'd like to do is just kind of feel in there. If it feels like its evenly moist that’s a good indication you have enough water. If the plants are wilting you better water them. I know that saying rather simple but again every system is different.

What about trees and shrubs? Big trees serve and establish probably don’t need water during the course of the year unless you're in the incredibly nature drought. Any plant material that’s newly placed in your yarn should be watered as soon as it’s put in and then I like to say that continue to water it evenly throughout the first growing season that will help to get establish. And just like I talked about with the containers it’s very difficult for me to tell you this perennial needs this much water and this small shrubs need this much water.

Everything is different something like sedum or a little cactus you don’t have to water that at all it’s probably once establish you're not going to need any water but something like and still be likes at fairly wet so depending on your soil and the type you really need to know your garden and what your soil needs and what your plants need. And getting back to those lawns even a lawn can be different if you have really great soil you need a little less water. Really sandy soil, a lot of hot sun you need a little more waster. Most of us tend to waster our lawn more often than anything else so I like to say it’s a good idea to know exactly how much water you're putting out that way you can conserve and certainly not over water.

Where ever you are watching this video be sure to go growingwisdom.com register for our news letter and find out other tips, hints and helps each month. I'm David Efstein.