The Ideal Watering Schedule for Plants in Arizona
The Arizona climate is both hot and dry, and that makes a difference when it comes to properly caring for your plants. In this blog, we’ll give you a practical watering guide for plants in Arizona so that you can enjoy a flourishing landscape.
Watering Plants in Different Seasons
Summer
During the summer months, plants get stressed because of the heat and they transpire water loss three times greater than the roots can take back in. This begs the question: do I increase the water……. yes, but not the way you think. Our ground being clay can only absorb water at a slow pace, so if the temperatures exceed 108 for multiple days, you will want to water your plants twice a day for an hour. Does this guarantee to save the plant? Not necessarily, but your trying to get through an extreme situation. Note, when you set the times to water you want to do so before morning light and after the sun goes down.
Spring & Fall
Spring and Fall are the are a time for growth and when most plants spring into color. The days are starting get longer in Spring and shorter in the Fall, that temperatures are warmer, but the nights are still cooler and that is the optimum time to plant. The watering schedules don’t need to be as frequent during this season. You should also focus on fertilizing your plants in the spring and fall in order to promote growth during their peak growing cycles. But that is a general rule and depending on the plants, seek a good nursery where they have a horticulturalist on staff to properly guide you.
Winter
During the winter, most plants are not in their growth cycles. Days are shorter and a lack of sunlight means that your plants don’t need as much water. During this season, you can cut back on your watering schedule. If the rains are soaking the ground, you may wish to turn off the water for a week and let the ground dry out. Otherwise, you are just watering mud and wasting the water.
How Much Should I Water My Plants?
Below, you will find a guide:
Spring (March to May)
Type | Program | Start Time | Duration
Plants | 1 Hour | 5:30 am | Every 5 Days
Trees | 2.5 Hours | 3:00 am | Every 10 Days
Pots | 20 Mins. | 7:00 am | Every 3 Days
Summer (May to October)
Type | Program | Start Time | Duration
Plants | 1 Hour | 5:30 am | Every 3 Days
Trees | 2.5 Hours | 3:00 am | Every 7 Days
Pots | 20 Mins. | 7:00 am | Every 2 Days
Fall (October to December)
Type | Program | Start Time | Duration
Plants | 1 Hour | 5:30 am | Every 5 Days
Trees | 2.5 Hours | 3:00 am | Every 10 Days
Pots | 20 Mins. | 7:00 am | Every 3 Days
Winter (December to March)
Type | Program | Start Time | Duration
Plants | 1 Hour | 5:30 am | Every 7 Days
Trees | 2.5 Hours | 3:00 am | Every 15 Days
Pots | 20 Mins. | 7:00 am | Every 4 Days
*Please note this is a guide and not absolute. As you read through the seasons above there are extreme situations that you may need to deviate from standard circumstances.
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