October 18, 2004 Weekly Water Saving Tip

No matter what kind of climate you live in, hot, dry or otherwise the success you have with your plants depends on understanding their needs for growth. Each type of plant that we put into the landscape has a different cultural requirement, but the basics are the same: they need good soil that drains well, appropriate amounts of sunshine, a uniform supply of moisture and nutrients, and protection from the elements.

Today, we’re going to talk about the soil. In almost every instance a good soil is one that is high in organic matter. Many of our soils in the intermountain west will have 1-3% organic matter and many of our gardens that have been used for any period of time will have less than 1%. When you amend the soil with organic matter, drainage is improved, and the soil is able to retain moisture and nutrients longer in the root zone. The organic amendment that gives the best result is usually some type of compost. Peat moss is usually not recommended, due to the fact that with high summer heat, fine textured materials like peat moss will dissipate quickly—sometimes in less than a year. Make sure that the compost you use has larger size particles to aid in the slower break down and they help to fluff up the soil to allow for air movement. As you add compost remember, that if it has not been stabilized by the addition of nitrogen, you will need to add nitrogen fertilizer. This additional nitrogen is to stop the depletion that occurs as organisms in the soil break down the organic matter. It is also important to remember that when adding amendments to the soil add enough to change the structure of your soil. A little bit of material won’t do any good. So, use about a 3 inch depth and mix it into the soil to a depth of 8-12 inches.

Now is the ideal time to make the addition of soil amendments. In the fall the compost allows the soil to absorb water, increases water infiltration and increases the water holding capacity. This water then becomes available for next year’s growth of plants. Now is also the time to mulch the areas of the landscape that will remain throughout the year.

Temperatures are continuing to go down. This means we can continue to reduce the application of water due to the reduction in moisture demand by the plants. This week turf requirement is every 7-10 days. You should be watering no more than once a week now. The longer intervals between irrigations will insure that your turf and other plants in the landscape will go into dormancy for the winter months.

The weekly water saving tip is provided to Washington County Water Conservancy District by Dr. Frank Williams, professor of the BYU Horticulture department. If you would like any more information please call me, Julie Breckenridge, at 673-3617.