The last yard of mulch has been spread, the landscape crew has left, and your beautiful new garden is ready to grow. The only thing it needs now is...water.

Water is required for the normal physiological processes of all plants.  Plants use water to perform chemical reactions and to move nutrients throughout the plant.  Water is also vital to help keep the plant cool. Leaves have thousands of microscopic openings, called stomates, through which water vapor is lost from the plant. This continual loss of water is called transpiration, and it helps the plant moderate its temperature. A plant will wilt unless a constant supply of soil water is provided by absorption through the roots.

New transplants often suffer from transplant shock, which results from a dramatic change in environmental conditions. Although your new garden provides a relatively comfortable home, your plants will still need to adapt to their new environment, and proper watering will help them adjust.

When watering, place the hose at the base of the plant and water deeply. Before watering again, check the dampness of the soil at the base of the plant. If the soil around the base is still wet, consider holding off on watering until the soil dries out a bit.  Soil type and amount of rainfall will determine the frequency and amount of water needed.  During hot, windy summer weather, you may need to water every day. Cooler temperatures and abundant rain will reduce your watering chores.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that if a little water is good, then a lot will be better.  Too much water in a soil causes oxygen deficiency, resulting in damage to the root system. Plant roots need oxygen to live, and if the soil is soggy, little oxygen will be present.  When this condition exists, roots die and no longer absorb water. As a result, the leaves begin to wilt and show signs of insufficient water. Often, gardeners think these signs signal lack of water, so they add more. This further aggravates the situation and the plant usually dies quickly. So check the soil before you water.

Some plants should be watered occasionally in the winter, especially broadleaf evergreens like inkberry. Even during winter, evergreens are typically transpiring water. If the soil dries out too much, the plant can show signs of scorching, especially when the conditions are windy. Give your newly planted evergreens a deep drink in late fall or early winter before the ground freezes to help prevent winter burn.

As your new garden becomes established, your watering chores will decrease. Typically, you will need to water your new plants for the first 4-6 weeks after planting. You’ll also need to water during periods of hot, dry weather. Usually, after the first year, your plants will be established and will require little, if any supplemental watering.