Weekend Gardener: Trees and Shrubs

Our weekend gardener expert Laura Stone fromhas the following advice for us this weekend:

Trees and shrubs planted in the last three years still need extra water during dry periods.
 
Newly planted trees and shrubs are at greatest risk and need 1-2 good soakings each week. A 5-gallon bucket, a slowly running hose, a "leaky pipe" or soaker hoses laid up-side down and snaked under the branches, or sprinklers adjusted to soak the area under the tree canopy are all good options.
 
Trees stressed from lack of water are more susceptable to insect pests, winter injury, yellowing foliage and other problems that may not show up until several months after the dry weather.

Lawns need 1" to 1 1/2" of water per week to stay green.  It's time to water when the lawn color turns to a green-bronze and grass blades don't spring back in your footsteps as you walk across the lawn. Applying enough water to soak the top foot of soil benefits trees as well as lawns.

Hopefully there will be a few little showers in our future!