Source: Rick Durham, horticulture extension professor 

Kentucky summers can feel like living inside a greenhouse — high heat, thick air and the occasional thunderstorm that somehow misses your yard entirely. When the thermometer sticks in the 90s with little rain, plants need help. The trick is watering smart, not nonstop. 

Watering your yard in the early morning lets water sink in while the sun’s still low, so less of it evaporates into thin air. Lawns built on tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass want roughly an inch to an inch and a half of moisture each week. Pay attention to color and timing: when blades turn a tired gray-green, your footprints linger a bit too long or it hasn’t rained in a week or so, it’s time to run the sprinklers.  Remember that watering thoroughly as opposed to frequently will promote deep root systems that help grass withstand dry periods. 

Trees and shrubs run on a different clock. New saplings crave approximately 10 gallons of water weekly for each inch of trunk thickness. It may even help to build a small berm or raised area that surrounds newly planted trees to concentrate applied water around the root zone where it is needed most. Established woody plants settle for an inch of rain every week or so, and many native species can usually go two weeks without suffering harm. Stick a finger in the dirt — if those top two inches feel damp, hold off on watering. Roots that are too wet cause problems as well. 

Veggies can be picky. Tomatoes, peppers, beans — once they decide to bloom and the fruit or pods bulk up — will wilt at the first hint of drought. Aim for an inch of water a week, but break it into two sessions if your soil drains fast. Drip lines or soaker hoses help keep leaves dry and disease at bay; if you’re hand-watering, hit the soil, not the foliage, and do it early in the day.  Also remove weeds and grass nearby that will compete with your food crops for moisture.  

Soil texture matters. Bluegrass clay retains moisture like a sponge, so fewer, longer waterings are most effective. Sandy pockets in central or western parts of the state drain like a sieve, demanding shorter, more frequent pours. Either way, spread a three-inch mulch blanket — shredded bark, straw, even last fall’s leaves. Mulch cuts surface evaporation, evens out soil temperature and prolongs soil moisture which saves you from constant hose duty.  Keep mulch two to three inches from the base of plants to allow air movement and drying — prolonged moisture in these areas may promote disease. 

It could also be very helpful to keep a rain gauge staked in the yard. When a summer storm dumps an inch, skip the next watering cycle and let nature foot the bill. And before cranking irrigation up during a dry stretch, glance at city notices. Some counties post watering advisories once reservoir levels start to look shallow.    

Contact your local (COUNTY NAME) Extension office for more information on watering your plants. 

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