If you have missed the thunderstorms and showers in central Indiana, here is a good rule of thumb to follow when garden soil drys up. Most flower and vegetable gardens perform best when they
receive 1 to 1-1/2 inch of water per week. Supplemental watering is best done in the morning and delivered directly to the soil surrounding the plants. Soil type does not affect the amount of total water needed but does dictate frequency of water application. Lighter soils need more frequent water applications, but less water applied per application. Good luck and good gardening and may mother nature take care of all of your watering needs..
Hancock County Master Gardeners.
Great advice Don! It also goes for trees. Now you can’t water every tree in your yard but you may want to look for signs of stress such as curling or drying of leaves or needle drop. I have a blue spruce that has been stressed with mites and fungus. I have it treated by a professional arborist. He told me that my spruce needed to be watered to simulate the 1 inch or so of rainfall it needs from Mother Nature. He recommended taking a plastic 5 gallon bucket and drilling a small hole in the bottom. Place the bucket 18 inches from the trunk and fill with water. The trickle from the bucket is all the tree needs. You do this 2 times a week if rain is scarce. 10 gallons simulates the inch of rain needed for my 30 foot spruce. Move the bucket around each time. I also have been watering a new arborvitae and my young dogwood.
Vicki; sometimes we take our trees for granted during dry spells. thanks for reminding all that our trees need loving care too.