Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
francie12_gw

Watering Question

francie12
16 years ago

I have healthy buds on most of my DAs and OGRs now--anticipation is high, with Gertrude Jekyll the most likely to burst forth first (say that ten times fast). I've wanted to ask experts this watering question for a long time... With tap opened to capacity, using a wand, and intending to water the recommended two inches, how long does it take at each plant? Being a person who loves precision, I'm finding myself wondering if I am over or under watering at any given rose. Looking for optimum moisture levels but trying not to be too OCD! Soaker hoses could help here, but I actually enjoy standing there with the hose refreshing the roots. How long do you stand at each rose watering?

Comments (4)

  • michaelg
    16 years ago

    Francie, what is usually recommmended is one inch per week, not two inches. You might need two inches in a Phoenix summer with low humidity and temperatures of 105+, but here in the East in May with plants less than their late-season size, 3/4 inch is enough. If you have sand or sandy loam, it may be better to give two lighter waterings a week rather than one heavy one, because roses prefer to have the topsoil stay moist.

    You will need to run your hose with attachment into a container and count how many seconds it takes to get a gallon. Then 2 gallons equals around 1 inch on a 2 x 2' space, or 4 gallons = 1" on a 3 x 3' space. Different attachments may produce a very different flow rate.

    I enjoy hand watering too. It's about 20 seconds per plant for me. You can buy a timer to wear around your neck so you don't have to count.

    If you add your state and climate zone to your username, people would be in a better position to give relevant advice.

  • francie12
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for the excellent and helpful response. Using a timer to determine exactly how much water is going onto each rose will make things more scientific and actually easier in the long run than the guesswork. Thanks! Conditions here in Iowa can be extremely hot and dry in the summer, but I'll go back and check to see if the recommendation really is two inches, taking into account of course plant size and placement, rainfall, etc.

  • york_rose
    16 years ago

    That's a very difficult question to answer because it's highly dependent upon your soil. If you grow roses in a heavy clay soil it will take a far longer time to soak the soil than it will if you grow roses in a sand soil. Likewise, if you grow roses in clay it will take much longer for that soil to dry out once it's soaked. A sand soil can become thoroughly soaked in just a few minutes in early morning, and then be completely dry by sunset as if it had never been watered at all.

  • michaelg
    16 years ago

    Yes, if you want to water clay soil by the gallon, you need to have a dike to hold the water while it soaks in. Also, if you water sandy soil an inch at a time, nearly half of it will be lost to rapid, deep drainage, so the weekly ration should be divided into smaller, lighter waterings.

    Regardless of soil type, a similar amount will be lost per week to evaporation and transpiration under given weather conditions and plant size. It is something in the neighborhood of an inch for average conditions. Heat, lack of clouds, low humidity, and wind all increase the water loss.