Many areas of Kentucky have seen hit-or-miss rain showers the last few months. Some places have been in the miss category repeatedly.
Fayette County Extension Agent in Horticulture Jamie Dockery said it’s really bad when it comes to dry conditions for some residents. Home gardens need water. And as Dockery puts it, “Standing on a hose and watering, does not water.” He said it needs to be applied slowly, sinking to a depth of four to six inches.
“And after you stood out in this baking heat for two hours if you went back and dug into the soil profile you’d find that standing there all that time got you maybe a half an inch of water or a half an inch of moisture,” said Dockery.
Jamie Dockery said the right way means a slow drip over an extended period of time. Like a slow trickle, a soaker hose, or even nail-punched distribution.
“A five-gallon bucket with a nail in it is vastly superior for that plant than being on a hose. And you can fill up a five-gallon bucket pretty quickly and then just turn the water off and go into the house. That five-gallon bucket one nail hole is one plant's worth…or a few plants worth,” said Dockery.
Dockery noted lower temperatures only provide significant benefit if that’s over an extended time. For young trees like redbuds, Dockery added they need to be watered for the first five years, again at a slow deep soaking way.
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