| Regular watering is an integral part of successful | | | | meter. Frequent but deep soakings also play the |
| gardening in any region that has long, hot dry | | | | crucial role of leaching excessive salts from the |
| summers, such as in Southern California, the | | | | soil. |
| Middle East, or South West Australia. Regular | | | | Most lawn varieties grown in hot, dry, summer |
| watering should not entail opening the taps every | | | | climates are heat resistant species. They are not |
| day or so, or whenever the plants look tired and | | | | drought resistant however, and of course require |
| dry. There is neither the water available for that, | | | | regular irrigation. In heavy soils, the interval for |
| nor is it usually best for the garden plants. An | | | | established lawns can be over 2 weeks, although |
| appropriate irrigation regime involves understanding | | | | 1 week to 10 ten days is preferable for private |
| the importance of maintaining a proper balance in | | | | gardens. The interval for sandy soils can be |
| the soil between air on the one hand, and | | | | between 3-5 days. Delaying the watering involves |
| moisture on the other. With insufficient water, the | | | | virtually no risk to the mature, healthy lawn. On |
| plant withers and dies, while with insufficient air | | | | the contrary, not only does the gap allow air to |
| available in the soil, the roots cannot breathe. In | | | | be present in the soil, but it encourages the |
| principle, "how often should I water?" is a question | | | | deep-rooting species like Bermuda grass, to grow |
| of correctly applying that understanding. | | | | into the sub soil. Such lawn types recover quickly |
| Assuming that the soil has adequate drainage, the | | | | from small doses of drought stress. |
| next most significant factor is the frequency by | | | | Herbal plants are with some exceptions largely of |
| which water is applied. Light, sandy soils drain | | | | Mediterranean origin or grow naturally in similar |
| excellently, but retain water poorly. It follows that | | | | habitats. Oregano, Sage, Artemisia, Rosemary and |
| the intervals between each watering have to be | | | | Lavender, to name but a few, all respond well to |
| relatively short. Conversely, heavy, clay soils | | | | properly - drained soil, and suffer from boggy, |
| possess good water retention properties but drain | | | | anaerobic conditions. As they do not need be |
| slowly. As the greater the length of time that the | | | | watered as deeply as trees and shrubs, the |
| soil is saturated with water, the less air is available | | | | intervals should be correspondingly shortened. |
| to the plants' roots, watering intervals should be | | | | Herbaceous flowers, whether annual or perennial, |
| relatively wide. As we shall see with some of the | | | | have to be watered very frequently on the other |
| following examples, it is often best to make those | | | | hand. In very light soils, those with very small |
| intervals as long as possible. | | | | percentages of clay, watering might have to be |
| Plants that grow naturally in arid regions are often | | | | as often as once a day, whereas in very heavy |
| or not particularly sensitive to low oxygen | | | | soils, it may be possible to stretch it out to 3-5 |
| percentages in the soil. Situations where the top | | | | days between each watering. |
| soil layers are permanently moist are liable to | | | | You may well ask - "What should I do if my |
| cause roots to rot, or at the least, not to develop | | | | flowers are mixed up with the trees and shrubs?" |
| properly. Many fine ornamental trees and shrubs, | | | | The short answer is that you have to water |
| such as Melaleuca, Eucalyptus, Callistemon, | | | | according to the needs of that plant group that |
| Leucophyllum , Olive and Cypress, belong to this | | | | require water most urgently. The more involved |
| category. In clay soils, watering once a month | | | | answer though is that it is impossible to irrigate |
| (sometimes less frequently) through the summer, | | | | intelligently, if different plant groups with entirely |
| is often sufficient for established plants, providing | | | | different watering needs, are planted together |
| that enough water is applied so that it reaches | | | | and watered from the same irrigation line. |
| down to at least 50 cm, (1.5 feet) preferably I | | | | |