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Watering plants and lawns in the summer doesn’t have to be challenging.

David Oats, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agent, offered some tips to watering.

“Obviously, early in the morning. The best time is from about 5 to 10 a.m.,” Oats said. “Avoid watering, if possible during the heat of the day due to evaporation.”

Watering in the evening is a possibility but not the best due to the high temperatures we are experiencing.

For annuals and perennials, or flowers, it’s best to use a soaker hose or a drip hose and direct it at the base of the plant.

Oats said to make sure to direct the water to the plant root system.

“You’re better off watering the base instead of the foliage,” he said. “When watering, strive for watering deeply and infrequently. Water once or twice a week but not every day or it will promote shallow root growth,” he said, adding plants with shallow roots will not want to anchor in the ground.

For lawns, a good rule is one inch of water per week whether by sprinkler or Mother Nature. Gauging the one-inch rule depends on how much water comes from the sprinkler, he said.

But there is another way to keep the lawn and plans green — mulch.

“Use mulch. It does a really good job during the summertime and helps cut down on soil temperature and conserves water,” he said.

According to the Texas Water Development Board, in connection with AgriLife, when using sprinklers use the type that emit large drops of water that remain closest to the ground and not sprinklers that produce a spray mist.

Other tips include irrigating trees, shrubs and other landscape plants separately from turf or lawn.

“By grouping plants according to watering needs, you can apply irrigation more efficiently,” according to the website.

The rest of this week is expected to be hot with temperatures in the upper 90s. Ran chances don’t begin to creep into the forecast until Monday, according to the National Weather Service-Lake Charles.

So do your plants, and your lawn a favor and give them a watering.

I should add a note here — a majority of the state is experiencing drought conditions and even Houston is asking its residents to conserve water. While Jefferson County has not declared a drought, conserving water is something to keep in mind.

 

Mary Meaux is a news reporter at The Port Arthur News. She can be reached at mary.meaux@panews.com.