Gardening takes different levels of effort according to the conditions they are in. Watering and water control too have variations according to the place, weather and other ambient conditions. It is not like, more watering will give you more foliage. However, a Dubai landscape would require more water than average as the humidity is more.
Landscape Design: The Watering Rules
About the watering rules, some are known to you already in one form or the other. While for others it can be a new insight for you that helps while watering your greens in the garden. All the rules mentioned here are simple and do not require help from any of the landscaping companies in Dubai to comprehend.
No Waterlogging
Almost all plants tend to weaken in excess presence of water. If you are not allowing the water to settle down around a plant, there is a high chance the cells get too much water. This in turn will adversely affect the growth of the plant.
Roots are the primary channel by which water is entering the plant. Not just water, but roots need oxygen as well. By letting the water to log around the plant, you are blocking the pathway of the oxygen. The soil must be loose enough for the roots to capture the oxygen they need. When you are waterlogging, you are letting the water occupy free spaces.
Plan to Save Water
Saving water is something you need to do whenever possible. So, no wonder we are including that among the rules of watering. Abundance is not an excuse to overuse. Also, as mentioned in the previous point, plants do love water but not too much of it.
Indeed, even if you decided against waterlogging, the method used for watering can cause overuse of water. So, choose your method too, wisely.
Water Retention is Important
Water retention is basically the time duration within which roots are capable of absorbing water from the soil around. It depends on various factors. However, the major factor that is in our control is how loose the top layer of the soil is.
A soil layer with optimum level of looseness and the right amount of water ensure a good retention of water. Even water retention should also be in limits. Excessive water retention can cause decaying of many plants. Indeed, there are plants that can survive in very mushy conditions throughout the year. But, here we are considering the majority and almost all plants part of landscaping falls into the majority category.
No too much Wetness on Leaves
A mistake many of you would make is regarding the position at which we should do watering for a plant. For lawns and other grasses, water spraying can be effective since the chances of water retention in the soil is more due to the small size of the vegetation. However, letting the water directly reach the root is important.
Added to that, more water on leaves can cause certain problems as well. More moisture on leaves can cause diseases. Also, water droplets on the surface of the leaves can cause burns to leaves due to the lens effect created by them.
Evenly Water
Watering, even if done at the correct location, the distribution around the plant is also important. If you are aiming at the bottom part of the plants while watering, also make sure you are doing it uniformly. The roots need to spread evenly under the soil. If you are letting them grow concentrated to one side, the plant becomes more vulnerable to physical adversities.
Also, especially for grasses, spreading of roots is important. They have a fibrous kind of root without a main root. This means they lack anchoring like tap rooted plants have. So, make sure the watering is done evenly, especially for lawn grasses.
Allow Gradual Settling
Don’t pour all at once is one of the major disciplines related to watering plants. You might have already understood that. The best way of taking water to the roots is by giving enough time to settle. Don’t keep the root too busy so that much water may simply run off. The landscape design should be made accordingly.
Not the Frequency, but the Method
As mentioned previously, more than the frequency, the method used is more determining for the wellness of the plants. If the correct method is followed you can reduce the frequency of watering considerably. Also, if the water retention is good, with the right method you can save more water.
For example, as per an experience shared online, a lawn needs watering only once in a week, if the watering is done using any of the bottom wetting methods and allowed to settle gradually with the right level of soil looseness. The green foliage will be still better than a three times water sprayed lawn with all other conditions the same.
Watering Time is Important
Don’t feel for the plants in the scorching sun and try to water them. Because, watering at the sun can cause lens effect on leaves. Which in turn results in burns. Also, since the evaporation rate is more under the sun, water requirements will also be more. The ideal time for watering is morning and evening where the sun shines at optimum level.
Night time is also not good for watering as the water takes more time than required retention time and results in decaying of the plant. Among the two suggested times, my personal choice is in the morning. However, watering in the evening with enough shade can be equally beneficial for your garden landscaping as well as the other vegetation included.
