I'm a newbie when it comes to gardening. I just planted a Green Mountain Boxwood and a Midnight Wine Weigela. They both get 5+ hours of sun. I live in zone 7 and the temps have been in the 90s this month. There are a couple things I want to know:
1.) How much water should I be watering them? I've had them for 3 days now and I've bumped up my watering to about 4 gallons on each plant a day (2 in the AM and 2 right as they go in the shade, about 6PM) Does this sound right? The Weigela looked limp midafternoon yesterday so I gave it about a gallon then and it perked up. They're both planted in sandy soil and I added about an inch of mulch to help keep the moisture in.
2.) On average, how long should it take for them to become established?
3.) I'm going out of town in a week and I don't have anyone who can water them. I live in an apartment complex so I don't have access to a water spout for a hose. The only resource I found was DriWater. Would that work?
Thank you!!!
Cori
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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No one can really tell you how much to water, because it depends so much on conditions. Sandy soil drains a lot faster than my clay, so needs much more frequent watering. August heat is a very difficult time to try and get new shrubs through transplant shock and rooted in. People usually plant new shrubs in fall after the heat breaks. So you will need to continue working hard on the watering. Water well when they need it, which is when the top few inches of soil are drying out. Always water as deeply as you can and then don't water until it needs it. That encourages the roots to go deeper, which is good for the plant.
Last edited by rainbowgardener on Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
