This watering guide gives a broad guideline for established plants – plants more than two years old. Be sure to observe your plants to make sure they can adapt to this watering schedule. If your plants are used to another watering schedule you cannot just change your watering habits immediately, to meet this new schedule. Your plants may require a two or three year adjustment period to meet this recommended watering schedule. If you see signs of stress, you should supplement this water schedule to meet your plant’s needs. Water according to the plants requirements, not according to your schedule. More ‘old’ plants die from too much water than die from the lack of water. However, during periods of hot, dry, summer weather even ‘old’ plants may need a little extra water to keep them healthy.
You must realize that not all plants have the same growing conditions, even in the same yard. Plants can have different soil types, drainage conditions, light and temperature variations, and even differing amounts of water and fertilizer – just two or three feet apart. Water may drain away quickly from one plant but may puddle and stay wet around another plant in the same row. One sprinkler may be closer to one plant than another, or, a sprinkler may not be emmitting the same amount of water as the next one (the sprinkler may have dirt in the nozzle or the nozzle might be a different size and emmits a different amount of water.) No matter what the reason, one plant may die from the lack of water while another plant dies from over-water, even though they are all being watered on the same schedule. Be sure to observe your plants on a regular schedule – every time you are out working in the yard!
Newly planted shrubs need to be observed more frequently and require a more frequent watering schedule than older, more established plants. As a rule of thumb – Newly plants shrubs and trees should be watered once a day for the first week or two. After the first week, water them once or twice a week with a hose – do not rely on sprinklers to water newly planted shrubs. Water newly planted shrubs regularly for the first summer.
Approximate Recommendations Only.
These recommendations will vary according to the temperature, plant location, soil conditions, wind conditions, and the amount of natural rainfall
Tall Trees (40’+)
No Additional Water
- Boxelder
- Chinese Elm
- Tree Of Heaven
Water 2x per month
- Ash, Autumn Purple,
- Ash, Summit,
- Ash, Marshall,
- Birch, River,
- Fir, White,
- Fir, Sub-Alpine,
- Fir, Douglas,
- Ginkgo, Autumn Gold,
- Honeylocust, Shademaster,
- Honeylocust, Skyline,
- Honeylocust, Golden,
- Horsechestnut,
- Mulberry, Fruitless,
- Oak, Burr,
- Oak, Red,
- Pagoda, Japanese,
- Pine, Vanderwolf,
- Spruce, Norway,
- Spruce, Black Hills,
- Sycamore,
- Walnut, Black,
- Zelkova,
Water 1x per month
- Birch, occidentalis
- Catalpa, Western
- Cedar, Incense
- Cedar, Western Red
- Elm, American or Dutch
- Hackberry
- Kentucky Coffee Tree
- Locust, Black
- Pine, Austrian
- Pine, Ponderosa
- Pine, Scotch
- Poplar, Narrowleaf
- Poplar, Cottonwood
- Spruce, Colorado
- Willow, Weeping
- Willow, Globe
Water 1x per week
- Birch, European White
- Birch, Jacquemonti
- Birch, Paper
- Cedar, Blue Atlas
- Larch, European
- Linden, American
- Linden, Littleleaf
- Maple, Crimson King
- Maple, Norway
- Maple, Red Sunset
- Maple, October Glory
- Poplar, Bolleana
- Poplar, Lombardy
- Poplar, Quaken Aspen
- Sweetgum
Medium Trees (2×5′-40′)
No Additional Water
- Russian Olive
- Juniper, Utah
Water 2x per month
- Lilac Tree, Japanese
- Mountain Ash
- Pear, Flowering
Water 1x per month
- Juniper, Rocky Mountain
- Locust, Idaho
- Maple, Bigtooth
- Pine, Bristlecone
- Pine, Pinyon
- Pine, Mugho Tall
Water 1x per week
- Redbud, Eastern
- Redbud, Oklahoma
Low Trees (2×5′-)
No Additional Water
- Curlleaf Mahogany
- Mountain Mahogany
- Oak, Scrub
Water 2x per month
- Catalpa, Bungei
- Crabapples
- Cherry, Flowering
- Fruit Trees, Most Varieties
- Hawthorn, Paul’s Scarlet
- Hawthorn, Lavelle
- Golden Rain Tree
- Maple, Amur
- Maple, Japanese
- Pine, Bosnian
- Pine, Columnar Scotch
- Plum, Flowering
- Smoketree
- Spruce, Alberta
- Spruce, Baby Blue Eyes
Water 1x per month
- Chokecherry
- Maple, Rocky Mountain
- Serviceberry, Saskatoon
Water 1x per week
- Dogwood, Flowering
- Golden Chain Tree
- Wisteria
Shrubs (6’+)
No Additional Water
- Mahogany, Mountain
- Sumac, Smooth
- Tamarix
Water 2x per month
- Arborvitae, American
- Cotoneaster, Peking
- Cotoneaster, Spreading
- Dogwood, Redtwig
- Dogwood, Yellowtwig
- Elderberry, blue
- Forsythia, Lynwood Gold
- Honeysuckle, Arnold Red
- Lilac, Chinese
- Lilac, Common
- Lilac, French
- Mockorange
- Plum, Cistena
- Pyracantha
- Rose, Persian
- Tallhedge
Water 1x per month
- Junipers
- Peashrub
- Rose, Wild
- Sumac, Cutleaf
- Sumac, Staghorn
Water 1x per week
- Beauty Bush
- Burning Bush
- Elderberry, american
- Euonymus, Japanese
- Euonymus, Manhattan
- Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon
- Oregon Grape
- Privet, Golden
- Privet, Cheyenne
- Pussy Willow
- Spireae, Bridlewreath
- Viburnum, Burkwood
- Viburnum, Snowball
- Viburnum, Leatherleaf
- Viburnum, Trilobum
- Weigela, Red Prince
- Weigela, Pink Princess
- Weigela, Bristol Ruby
- Yew, Japanese
- Yew, Hicks
Shrubs (6′-)
No Additional Water
- Ephedra
- Rabbitbrush
- Sagebrush
- Saltbush
- Sumac, Dwarf Smooth
- Sumac, Oakleaf
- Yucca
Water 2x per month
- Almond, Flowering
- Arborvitae, japanese
- Barberry, Crimson Pygmy
- Barberry, Japanese Redleaf
- Barberry, Mentor
- Barberry, William Penn
- Blackberry,
- Boysenberry
- Caryopteris, Blue Mist
- Spireae
- Currant, Alpine
- Currant, Golden
- Cotoneaster, Cranberry
- Cotoneaster, Dameri
- Cotoneaster, Horizontal
- Fir, Dwarf Balsam
- Grapes, All varieties
- Hypericum,
- Kinnikinnick
- Lilac, Korean
- Lilac, Miss Kim
- Mockorange, Dwarf
- Oregon Grape, Compact
- Quince, Flowering
- Potentilla, all varieties
- Rose, Austrian Copper
- Spruce, Nest
- Spruce, Pumilla
Water 1x per month
- Coralberry
- Junipers
- Oregon Grape, Creeping
- Pine, Mugho Dwarf
- Silver Buffaloberry
- Snowberry
- Western Sand Cherry
Water 1x per week
- Azaleas
- Blueberries
- Boxwood, Common English
- Boxwood, Common Dwarf
- Boxwood, Japanese
- Butterfly Bush
- Currants
- Dahpne
- Dogwood, Isanti
Check Your Sprinklers.
Make sure they are
watering evenly.
- Dogwood, Kelsey
- Euonymus
- Forsythia, Arnold’s Dwarf
- Gooseberry
- Hydrangea
- Ninebark, Physocarpus
- Privet, Lodense
- Raspberries
- Rhodendrons
- Roses, Common
- Roses, Groundcover
- Spireae, dwarf varieties
- Strawberries
- Weigela, Java Red
- Weigela, Minuet
- Willow, Dwarf Artic Blue
- Yew, English
Flowers
(Annual & Perennial)
No Additional Water
- Erigonum
- Poppy California
- Blue Flax
- Penstemon, Wasatch
- Penstemon, strictus
Water 2x per month
- Aesclepias
- Ajuga
- Arabis
- Aremeria
- Aster, perennial
- Baby’s Breath
- Bachelor’s Button, perennial
- Basket of Gold
- Campanula, Serbian
- Centaurea
- Centranthus
- Coreopsis, Moonbeam
- Corydalis
- Daffodil
- Daylily
- Epimedium
- Eryngium
- Euphorbia
- Gaillardia
- Geranium, Perennial
- Germander
- Goldenrod
- Hollyhock
- Iris, Bearded
- Iris, Sweet
- Jacob’s Ladder
- Lambs Ear
- Penstemon, Elfin Pink
- Penstemon, Pinnifolius
- Phlox, Creeping
- Poker plant
- Poppy, Iceland
- Poppy, Oriental
- Primrose, Evening
- Rudbeckia
- Statice
- Silvermound
- Silverbrocade
- Snow in Summer
- Sweet William
- Tulip
- Wallflower
Water 2x per week
- Ageratum
- Celosia
- Clarkia
- Dahlia
- Foxglove
- Geranium, Annual
- Monkey Flower
- Petunia
- Phlox, Tall
- Scabiosa
- Zinnia
Water 1x per month
- Blue Fescue
- Grass, Buffalo
- Hens & Chicks
- Juniper
- Kinnikinnick
- Mahonia, Creeping
- Pink Pussy Toes
- Potentilla
- Sedum
- Yarrow, Hybrids
Water 1x per week
- Creeping Jenny
- Grass, Hard Fescue
- Irish Moss
- Ivy, English
- Pachysandra
- Plumbago
- Potentilla verna
- Sweet Woodruff
- Thyme, Wooly
- Vinca Major
- Vinca Minor
- Violets, sweet
Water 1x per month
- Anemone Pulsatilla
- Coneflower
- Flax, many varieties
- Grasses, most Ornamental
- Hens & Chicks
- Portulaca
- Sedum
- Yarrow
Water 1x per week
- Astilbe
- Aubretia
- Bachelors Buttons, Annual
- Balloon Flower
- Begonias
- Bleeding Heart
- Calendula
- Campanula, carpatica
- Campanula, Bluebells
- Candytuft
- Carnations
- Columbine
- Coral Bells
- Coreopsis
- Cosmos
- Daisy, Shasta
- Daisy, Alaska
- Delphinium
- Dianthus
- Fern
- Geum
- Hosta
- Impatiens
- Lavendar
- Liatris
- Lupine
- Lychnis
- Marigolds
- Monarda
- Obedient Plant
- Painted Daisy
- Pansies
- Peony
- Russian Sage
- Salvia, Annual
- Salvia, Perennial
- Saxifraga
- Snapdragon
- Soapwort
- Spiderwort
- Sweet Woodruff
- Thyme
- Veronica
- Violets
Groundcovers
No Additional Water
- Aster, Pacific
- Blueflax
- Buffalograss
- California poppy
- Eriogonum
- Eriogonum
- Eveningprimrose
- Sheepfescue
- Yarrow, Common
Water 2x per month
- Ajuga
- Alpine Strawberry
- Basket of Gold
- Bishops Weed
- Grass, Turtle Turf
- Honeysuckle
- Hypericum
- Paxistima
- Snow In Summer
Water 2x per week
- Grass, Kentucky Blue
- Grass, Perennial Rye
- Grass, Red Fescue
*** These recommendations will vary according to the temperature, plant location, soil conditions, wind conditions, and the amount of natural rainfall.
