Using soaker hose, watering newly planted shrubs,etc question?

Question

Hello. I have two beds with shrubs, evergreens, boxwoods, junipers, etc, and want to be sure I am watering properly. I have the soaker house and want to see how long I should be running it, I also use the regular hose to water a bit too. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated :) Thanks

Answer 1

Root zone test: The easiest way to predict water loss is to feel the soil. The soil in the feeder root zone (4-6 inches for groundcover; 10 inches for trees) should be moist. After watering, poke a hole in the soil with a trowel and put your hand in about 4 inches. If the soil feels dry and warm, you need more water. If it is cold throughout the depth of the root zone, it is probably moist enough. Test the root zone moisture before and after watering for a given amount of time to know roughly how long to water next time, assuming conditions don't change drastically.
Test this in more than one spot to be sure the hose is giving adequate coverage because water does not move sideways much. Sandy soil needs to have the hose loops closer than together than clay soils. If you have sandy soil you will run the hose shorter times more frequently than in clay. For example, 1 inch of water applied to an average sandy soil will penetrate 12 inches. It will move anywhere from 6-10 inches into a good loam soil, and in a clay soil it will percolate down only 4-5 inches.

Answer 2

It really depends what you mean by sprinkler or soaker and where you live. Soakers that send water into the air in arid climates will loose at least half to evaporation and wind. They do better when water is kept low and applied in cooler part of day. Sprinklers apply water over a larger area, which may or may not be what you want. Sprinklers can apply water in larger droplets which are a bit less likely to evaporate but also can apply water too quickly for the soil to absorb. Clay soils absorb very slowly, sandy soils quickly and compacted soils can be like concrete! Probably soakers will work better if you aren't in a windy or arid climate and you remember to move the soaker from time to time to get a larger root area watered.

Answer 3

Be careful that you aren't over watering it. This could cause root rot. I would just make sure the ground doesn't dry up. As long as it's damp then your shrubs, etc., should be fine. To much watering can kill them though.