Commercial Landscaping: Watering Properly

There is a dirty little secret when it comes to landscaping: watering properly. It's not a new miracle technique or magic plant food you've never heard of. In fact, the dirty little secret isn't even a secret at all. But if you get this one thing wrong, your landscape could suffer, you could waste a lot of resources, and it could cost you thousands of dollars.

Here's the secret: Watering Properly

I know what you're thinking: "That's not a secret!" You're right! But there's not a lot of people who know watering properly isn't happening for their plants. That's the hard part. The key to watering properly is to consider the variables of your landscape that are affected by water.

There are several variables that you can monitor yourself. Not all plants are watered the same. Some species of plants need different amounts of water. Your lawn could have a grass species that doesn't require the same amount of water as your neighbor. Even though you may be in the same climate, you will use different amounts of water. Be sure that you understand what species of grass you have, to know how much water you need. Other things to consider when watering properly are the type of soil and climate you are planting in. This along with the type of plant species you have planted will be essential to know when watering.  

Plant species, climate, and soil are all variables that you can very easily monitor through research. But what about variables and conditions that are almost impossible to monitor? That’s where Smart Rain comes in.  

It used to be almost impossible to measure the water that evaporates from your soil and plants. In higher temperatures, evaporation accelerates, and your plants may need more water. This process is called evapotranspiration (ET) and naturally occurs in all plants and soils. Smart Rain has developed SmartWeather™, a cloud-based technology that monitors ET and ensures you get the exact amount of water you need for your landscape. This is our “secret sauce” and has been for more than 20 years in the making. With this technology, we’ve been able to help properties get the right amount of water and save money while doing it! 

When it comes to watering properly, the key is to make sure that you water deeply and infrequently. Deep watering, as opposed to frequent shallow watering, encourages plants to develop deep root systems that can draw moisture from deeper layers of soil and help keep them healthy during periods of drought. It's important to remember not to over-water, however; too much water can drown roots and cause them to rot. Aim for moistening the top 8-10 inches of soil with each watering session.

You may even consider installing a drip irrigation system or soaker hose connected to an automated timer if it fits within your budget (for more on drip irrigation, click here). This will ensure that plants are receiving adequate amounts of water without any extra effort on your part. Finally, water in the early morning when temperatures are cooler and more of the liquid will be absorbed by roots. Doing this also prevents water from evaporating too quickly during the heat of the day.

Follow these simple tips to ensure your watering properly and your landscape will look beautiful for years to come!

What your lawn and plants could be missing in their watering routine is Smart Rain. We help your landscape get the water it needs and keep water off when it doesn’t. Saving you time and money.  Learn more about tomorrow’s irrigation technology today! Learn More