The one-inch of rain per week factor is good rule of thumb for maintaining an established landscape, but new installations will usually require more moisture.

Even when the storm clouds open wide and the rain pours down in buckets...if it's not a good soaking rain, you can figure it will be time to water soon again.

RULE #1 Newly installed trees and shrubs will require more water than their established equals. Flowers will require water from 2 to 3 times per week up to daily.

I keep getting ridiculed by folks that see us watering on rainy days. That's right, when plants need water…we water, even if it is a rainy day. Why? You can't always expect the rain to give the plants the right amount of water.

Watering may require up to 5 gallons on a tree, 1 gallon on a shrub and 1 quart on a flower may be needed.

Simply holding a hose on a plant may not be the best way to provide water. Typically the water comes out faster than the soil can absorb it and you end up wasting most of the water to runoff. Use of soaker hoses can save you water and properly provide water to shrub beds.

For trees, try this Plant man original:

• Tie a 33 gal 'handle-tie' trash bag about 15" to 18" up the trunk.
• Fill the bag with water at least half way, allowing it to wrap around the tree trunk.
• Then with a needle or small nail, punch a hole in the bag on the underside at the trunk of the tree. This method allows the water to slowly displace at the trunk and find its way out to the lateral parts of the roots.
• This slow method of watering will thoroughly soak the root ball and allow you to fill the bag at the faster rate of water flow that the hose will allow, further reducing your time, standing there holding a hose!
• Furthermore, when the bag is empty in the next day or so, it will act as a flag in the wind, signaling that its time for a refill.

Be careful though! Too much of a good thing, water, can drown a plant as fast as dehydration!

Checking the soil for moisture prior to watering will help you to determine how much water the plant actually needs.

• Grab a handful of soil from around the rootball, be careful not to disturb the plants roots as this could send the plant into shock.
• Give the soil a squeeze.
• If the soil crumbles and does not hold its form, Time to water.
• If the soil oozes out of your hand or smells stagnant, back off the water.
• Proper water will allow the soil to make a ball that will hold its shape that will break with a light touch.

Should your community begin to limit watering of outdoor areas.
Get your priorities straight! Take a deep breath and forget the lawn. Lawns will go dormant and can re-establish in one season. Trees, Shrubs and groundcovers on the otherhand can take a much longer time to develop, and are much more costly to replace than lawns.  

A Guide to Water Wise Gardening

Gardeners looking for ways to cut down on the amount of water they use will benefit from these Water Wise guidelines, says the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA).

• Place your plants in groups according to the amount of water they need. This way, you won't end up over-or-underwatering any parts of your lawn or garden.
• Establish watering priorities. Take care of new and young plantings, then more mature trees and shrubs.
• Map out a set watering schedule - you'll minimize your water consumption this way. Strive to water in the early morning to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and reduce evaporation.
• Water slowly, deeply and infrequently to avoid water runoff and spot-water areas which dry out more quickly. Make sure your hose or sprinkler does not leak, and avoid placing watering devices where they waste water on your driveway, deck or porch.
• Don't forget your usual maintenance activities, such as mulching, pruning, composting and fertilizing. Strong plants require less care than weaker ones, and they also give your landscape or garden a more attractive look.
• Control weeds. They compete with useful plants for water.
• Shelter container plants by moving them to shady areas. This will reduce water loss due to evaporation.
• Use a drip watering system. This can save up to 60% of the water used by sprinkler systems.
• Consider letting your lawn go dormant; most lawn grasses will rebound when rains return.
• If you have a slope, place lower-water-demand plants at higher elevations, and those that need more water at lower elevations. The water from the higher areas will trickle down to your plants which demand more moisture.
• Finally, selecting plants with water efficiency in mind doesn't mean changing your tastes or the appearance of your landscape or garden! Remember: All new plants need water to become established.

Irrigation Tips for a Water Wise Garden

In seeking lush green landscape and vibrant, healthy flowers, many people over-water their lawns and garden by twenty to forty percent, report the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA).If you'd like to cut back on the amount of water you use in your home landscape, follow these water-wise irrigation tips.

Tip #1

Install a drip irrigation system made of flexible poly tubing and small emitting devices, recommends ANLA. The purpose of a drip irrigation system is to release water in slow, steady drops on a timed schedule. Drip irrigation systems can be connected to a hose, faucet or automatic sprinkler valve, and they can be positioned to drip, spray or soak individual plants.

Tip #2

Consider automating your sprinkler system. You can set the sprinkler system to water your landscape at a specific time, such as early in the morning when there's less wind and sunlight. You can also program an automatic sprinkler system to deliver different amounts of water to different zones in your lawn or garden. It's always a good idea to group your plants in your landscape according to how much water they need. This way, you won't over-water an entire section of your lawn simply to meet the needs of one or two plants. And remember that less frequent, but deeper waterings are both water wise and good for plants.

Tip #3

Periodically check your sprinkler system for leaks. It may not look like much, but leaking sprinklers, faucets and hoses waste precious water. Your sprinkler may be leaking if there are muddy spots in your soil or lawn; you have broken or clogged sprinkler heads; your water meter is always running or your valve box is filled with water.