A landscaping contractor just lnew sod a few days ago on the front, and sides of my property. He put an inch of topsoil and then laid it down. We have clay soil -- awful! Anyway he kept on flooding the lawn and told me to keep it like that until I left (it is a second home). He really wasn't terribly helpful! I have spray type sprinklers -- what I did was put on each zone for 10 minutes 3X a day at 5 AM noon and 5 PM -- the house is in southern DE and the temp have been in the low to mid 80's. I have someone who can change things for me if I know what to change them to. I have never had a sprinkler system.
I have another dilemma -- all the landscaping -- 94 shrubs are being watered with a drip system with emmitters -- I have no idea how far about the emitters are. One shrub a spirea turned black in 2 days! A cople of hygenea are wilting but seem to look okay late night. The rest of the hygenea seem to done okay. I set the drip for 2 minutes 3x a day -- the clay is also clay and he really really watered them a lot.
I am so afraid of losing these shrubs -- I am not there to monitor what is going on.
IF SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN HELP -- SURE WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT!
THANKS
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Charlie MV
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I'm a little nervous answering a lawn question here because lawns seem to be very politically incorrect at the helpful gardener.Regarding the watering, 3 times a day for 10 or 15 minutes is about right. I think you can back down to twice a day after 3 or 4 weeks as the roots take hold. After a few weeks on that schedule, go to twice a week for a while and then once a week for an hour or so. The new sod needs to stay moist in the beginning to help it take root. After it establishes itself, less frequent watering for longer durations helps the roots grow deeper and stronger.
On your shrubs, if they are older, established bushes, you're over watering. Unless we're in drought I've found my bushes generally need little watering. If you just put them out, you need to water them a little daily and back off as they establish themselves.
On your shrubs, if they are older, established bushes, you're over watering. Unless we're in drought I've found my bushes generally need little watering. If you just put them out, you need to water them a little daily and back off as they establish themselves.
You should water the new sod about two times a day because 80's is not that hot. I would water for 10 min 6-ish am and 4-ish pm.
As for the plants: drip waters gallons per hour not per minutes like sprinklers do. You need to see how far down the moisture is the ground around the shrubs. I agree you should water less if they are established, but it doesn't sound like you are only putting down (2minx3times watered per day=6min. a day 6min. a day x 7days=42min 60min in a hr) 3/4 of a gallon if you have 1 gallon emitters. If you have 1 GPH emitters I would water for 1 hour twice a week, if you have 2 GPH emitters I would water 30 min twice a week. Check the plant that is wilting it sounds like it isn't getting enough water. For the other one it sound like it might have mildew or a fungous.
As for the plants: drip waters gallons per hour not per minutes like sprinklers do. You need to see how far down the moisture is the ground around the shrubs. I agree you should water less if they are established, but it doesn't sound like you are only putting down (2minx3times watered per day=6min. a day 6min. a day x 7days=42min 60min in a hr) 3/4 of a gallon if you have 1 gallon emitters. If you have 1 GPH emitters I would water for 1 hour twice a week, if you have 2 GPH emitters I would water 30 min twice a week. Check the plant that is wilting it sounds like it isn't getting enough water. For the other one it sound like it might have mildew or a fungous.