Even in a normal year, Georgia has long, dry spells.
Water
usage soars, and so do those water bills. Some estimates show
that half of the water a typical family uses is for landscape
purposes.

Not only that, but University of Georgia Extension
Service
agents and specialists report seeing more plants dead of
drowning
during dry spells than during wet weather.

Do Your Plants Need
Water?

Learn how to tell if your plants need water. Many plants
wilt in the afternoon sun but spring back in the cool of the
evening. If we rush for the hose as soon as we get home from
work, we may be giving the plant too much.

When in doubt, use the “finger test.” Simply
poke your finger a few inches into the soil and see if it’s
moist. If it is, don’t water.

Our lawns will tell us they need water by getting a bit
dull or bluish. You can double-check with the “foot
test.” If your footsteps spring back up soon after you walk
across, your lawn is fine. You don’t need to water.

Next, check out different ways to get water to your
plants. Soaker hoses and drip systems put water at the roots,
where it’s needed. Add drip emitters to your regular irrigation
system, or lay inexpensive soaker hoses in flower and shrub beds
and cover them with mulch.

Wise Use of
Sprinklers

If you do need to use sprinklers:

Don’t water on hot, windy afternoons.
You’ll lose more than half of your water to evaporation.
Early-morning watering lets the water soak into the soil. It
allows the plants to dry off fast once the sun rises, helping
prevent diseases in your garden.

Aim your sprinklers properly. Water your
plants, not the street, sidewalk and driveway. If an area in
your
garden always stays damp, close off the sprinkler there.

Stop when water starts to run off. You
may have to turn it off and on a few times, but water and your
money won’t be running down the drain.

Improve your soil quality. Aerating or
adding organic matter can prevent runoff, too.

Get a rain gauge. Most Georgia soils
need
only an inch of water per week. If it rains, subtract that
amount
from your total application.

Water deeply. As the landscape matures,
soak the soil 6 to 8 inches deep to encourage deep roots. Then
don’t water again until the plants need it — once a week or
less.

Add a moisture sensor. This soil probe
tells the sprinkler system when the soil is wet or dry and will
turn it on and off for you.

Don’t forget to mulch. Mulching helps
keep the soil cool and moist while suppressing water-stealing
weeds and reducing your garden work. Mulch a wide area around
your plants (but not next to the stem or trunk).

Add lime if the soil needs it. Georgia
soils typically run slightly acid. You may find, especially in a
mature landscape, that you need little or no fertilizer.

Don’t overfertilize. Actively growing
plants use more water. Overfertilizing leads to a landscape that
will be a water hog. A soil test from your Extension Service
office or a private lab will tell you the soil’s fertilizer and
lime requirements.

If you do need fertilizer, consider using a slow-release
type. These deliver a little fertilizer over a long time, so
they
don’t stimulate fast, thirsty growth. Over the long run,
slow-release fertilizers can be more cost-efficient. You don’t
need to apply them as often.

Summer annuals or roses, though, do best with light,
frequent fertilizing. Usually, one application per month with a
standard granular fertilizer will keep these plants perky. To
encourage new flowers, pick off the old blooms as they fade.