Water Less To Save Plants

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Proper watering is a crucial component landscape. Newly planted trees and shrubs need to be watered regularly or they will suffer and possibly perish. But once they are established, most plants do not need supplemental irrigation beyond normal rainfall (a plant is considered established after it has put out two to three flushes of new growth after planting). We receive an average of 52 inches of rain each year in South Florida and typically, that is more than enough to sustain your plants.

Here’s the case against overwatering:

Irrigation accounts for up to 50 percent of water use in Florida, according to the South Florida Water Management District, and up to 50 percent of that water is lost due to evapotranspiration (the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration back into the atmosphere).

HOW MUCH WATER?
The amount of water your plants need depends on several factors, including the time of year, the type of plant and how well established the plant is. The time of year is the biggest factor. South Florida’s has two seasons — wet and dry. We are now in the dry season, which typically begins in late October or early November and lasts until late May. On average, we will get only 18 inches of rain in these months, with an average of 34 inches of rain coming in the wet season, the remaining part of the year.

Unless you have newly planted trees or shrubs, there is no reason to irrigate in the rainy months. The wet season, by the way, is an excellent time to install landscaping, as the heavy rains and high humidity will help to quickly establish new plants.

Most plants do not need supplemental irrigation even in the dry season. If your plant is healthy, has a well-developed root system and is adapted to South Florida, it should do well throughout most of the dry season. There may come a point in March or April when the temperature and the sun’s strength increase to the point that spot irrigation with a hose or bucket may be necessary for any plants showing drought stress. Those plants are the exception, not the rule and you need not irrigate your entire property. Typically, even those needy plants will make it through the dry season with just a few good waterings.

Unfortunately, the dominant plant in most yards is St. Augustine grass, a plant that requires more than its fair share of water during the dry season. Some homeowners make a conscious choice to conserve water and let their lawns turn a bit brown, knowing that the lawn will recover when the rains begin again. Another option is to replace large areas of grass with handsome trees and shrubs that require significantly less water and less care than your lawn.