Watering correctly saves time, money, and plants. The heat of summer is coming, and along with it, water restrictions in many municipalities. Summer water restrictions can force us to re-evaluate our watering practices. In many cases we may find that our watering practices are wasteful and inefficient.

Deep, infrequent watering is recommended. In most cases, an inch of water per week (rain plus irrigation) should be sufficient. Applying that inch of water in one deep watering will encourage deeper rooting, which leads to stronger, healthier plants. Watering once a week also fits well into most municipal water restrictions. Shallow, frequent watering, on the other hand, will lead to shallow root systems and high water loss through evaporation. With shallow watering, such as light frequent sprinkling, you actually end up wasting quite a bit of water and still don’t meet the needs of your plants.

The best time of day to water a garden is in the morning, since that gives the plants time to dry off before nightfall. It's cooler and winds tend to be calmer so water can soak into the soil and be absorbed by the grass roots before it can evaporate.Leaving water on plants overnight can lead to mold. Watering your garden at the right time and using the right method will keep your plants healthy.

There may be need to evaluate the device used for watering. While a lawn sprinkler may be a good method for the lawn, it may not be the best way to water a vegetable garden. Pick a watering device that matches the needs of your garden and the time you have available to water. Once a device is selected, know the correct way to use that device, in order to water efficiently.

When faced with summer watering restrictions, save yourself time and money by carefully selecting the time and watering device which best suit your garden’s needs. With Netro's smart watering, home gardeners may not fear that with restrictions in place they won't be able to properly water their gardens. Netro specializes in Evapotranspiration Reduction (ETR) and automatically make seasonal watering adjustments. Even in the hottest summer, Netro takes good care of your garden.

If you must water in the evening, try between 4 and 6 p.m. which should give the grass blades time to dry before nightfall. The later you water, the greater chance of disease becoming prevalent in your lawn. It's worth noting, though, that you don't necessarily have to water your lawn. Lawns are resilient. Established and properly cared-for lawns can survive weeks without water by going dormant (when the lawn turns brown), then recover once the rain returns.

Frequent, shallow watering encourages a shallow root system. A shallow root system means a lawn is under drought stress when the top inch of soil dries out.

Conversely, deep, infrequent watering during hot, dry weather is important to maintain a healthy lawn. Deep watering encourages the turf to develop a deeper, more extensive root system. The denser root system will make your grass less susceptible to periods of drought. A more dynamic root system will also offer the fringe benefit of discouraging competition from weeds.

To determine how long you have to run your sprinkler or irrigation system, take a flat-bottomed container such as a coffee can and mark off half-inch increments. Place the can or cans where it will be hit by the water, and time how long it takes to gather a half-inch of water. Then run your sprinkler twice as long. You may need to apply water even slower to steep slopes to avoid wasting water to runoff.

Netro's motto when it comes to watering: slowly, deeply, infrequently. Netro's algorithm is based on expert gardening knowledge, one of which is to avoid watering equally everyday and instead to water less frequently but deeply. Netro waters your garden only when the soil is dry enough in order to draw more oxygen into the roots, leading to a lusher landscape. By default, we allow the moisture level to deplete to a lower level before next watering and that is why you might see longer watering duration than the original settings on your old controller.

Netro smart controller gives your lawn the right amount of water, assures that your garden is getting its required amount of water – no more, and no less.

Resources:

Water infrequently, longer for better lawn

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/garden/2009/09/19/Water-infrequently-longer-for-better-lawn/stories/200909190132

How you water your new plants can make all the difference. Deeper, less frequent watering will grow plants whose roots are deeper and healthier, so they are more resilient to drier conditions and stress. Water a plant immediately when you plant it. If watered properly the first growing season, your plants should be well established the following growing season. Their roots should be deep and tough enough to seek out water on their own. You will only have to water these established plants on hot, dry days or if they are showing signs of distress.

The following are general guidelines. How often and how long you water will depend on your soil and other factors.

1.Year One

When planting water plants as soon as you get them in the ground. Allow the water to soak in and drain, and water again, until the soil is thoroughly moistened.

2.For the first week or so after planting

Water just-planted plants frequently - daily or every other day - as the roots will not be able to access soil moisture from a very large area until they begin to grow.

3.After the first week or so

Unless the weather is extremely hot and dry, you may be able to decrease watering frequency, perhaps to two or three times per week, for the next month or so.

4.Years Two to Three

You should need to water deeply only once or twice per week in dry weather if you have selected the right plant for the right place, prepared the soil and planted correctly, and mulched your plants. Exactly how often and how long you water will depend on your soil and other conditions.

5.After Year Three

Properly planted and watered, plants should be fairly well established by now, and can thrive with less watering than you may expect.

Helpful Tips

• Know your soil type, as this greatly affects watering frequency and duration.

• Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry between waterings to encourage deep roots.

• Group plants with similar water needs together.

• Consider using soaker hoses, as you can get water where you need it and lose less to evaporation.

• Young trees will need deep regular watering during their growing periods. During periods of little or no rain, water deeply once a week until they become established. Water established trees during heat waves and drought conditions.

• Spot-water plants with different needs than the rest of the planting bed.

• Remember that shallow-rooted plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, heathers and bedding plants may continue to need more frequent watering than most other plants.

• Mulch for moisture. Mulch reduces water loss and adds humus to your soil to retain more moisture.

• Check for soil moisture before

Before you water:

Generally, you want the soil to be dry an inch or two below the surface before you water, so probe with a spade or trowel to check.

At least one hour after you water (or longer with clay soil):

Probe into the soil again to see how deeply the water penetrated. Did it penetrate all the way to the root zone? If not, you may need to increase your watering time. But if the area looks well-saturated, you may want to cut back the next time.