Hello again,
Well since our last Skillin's Moisture Meter we did receive close to 1" of rain in the official rain gauge in the heart of Skillin's Country. Areas south of Portland received more--considerably more in some tropical York County areas. But much of this rain was torrential and featured much run off!
New outdoor plantings (of vegetables, annuals, perennials, and certainly shrubs and trees) require 1 inch of water per week optimally spread out over at least two quality waterings per week. A "quality watering" is defined as a slow soaking of your plant's roots.
(More detail about quality waterings: A steady rain of an which brings a half inch of rain or more qualifies as a quality watering. In lieu of rain a quality watering can be accomplished by letting water run slowly out of a watering can or the end of your hose into each plant's root system or by having a soaker hose at work for several hours twice a week. In "non soaker hose situations", pause on your watering if the water starts to run off; let the water soak in and then begin to water again. Repeat this process several times and move onto the next plant. For larger trees and shrubs (and if you do not have a soaker hose) merely set a hose against the tree or shrub for at least 20 to 30 minutes and let the water almost trickle into the ground and down into the plant's root system. Again if there is runoff, pause and let the water soak in. )
This Week's Moisture Meter Readings:
Quality rain (1).
Quality waterings required by you: (1).
This quality watering needs to take place over the next couple of days. I have noticed that container plantings in hot areas and annual plantings in sunny areas are already getting quite dry. Also shrubs and trees should get a slow quality watering within the next couple of days.
Hot dry weather is forecast for the next few days so ONE quality watering for each new plant is needed. More would probably be just fine!
If you have met the quality watering requirement for this past week, congratulations! If not, pay careful attention this coming week and beyond and make sure that your new plants get those required quality waterings!
Let us know if you have any watering questions!
Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
July 16, 2010
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