Hey folks, along the Front Range lawns are growing and plants are leafing out. The recent warm temperatures are encouraging plants to come out of dormancy. It’s an exciting time!
If your plants are starting to grow, it’s important to make sure the soil is moist. Plant cells grow and divide by filling up their cells with water. They draw water from the soil through the roots and transport it to the rapidly growing sections (roots and shoots at this time of year). If the soil is dry, they won’t grow as much, leading to shorter roots and shorter shoots. Short roots cause drought stress in midsummer. That’s a bad thing.
I know, you may not be ready to turn on your sprinkler system yet since it may still freeze. That’s smart. But figure out a way to check the moisture content of your soil and water if it’s dry. Your plants’ root growth depends on it.
Use a watering wand or a hose-end sprinkler until you’re ready to turn on your sprinklers. How much water should you give them? Good question. Put out a few cups in the area you’re watering. Once you see about a half-inch to one-inch depth of water in the cups on average, you’ve watered enough. Be sure to disconnect the hose from the spigot when you’re finished to prevent freeze damage.
Start out by watering once per week in April and increase the frequency as the weather warms. Prioritize your lawn and plants that are actively growing if you have limited time. Trees and shrubs will greatly benefit from April watering, too.
It’s not necessary to water dormant (brown) or xeric plants, since they’re not yet actively growing. If you live at high elevation, you can probably wait a few weeks if you’re plants haven’t leafed out yet.
So as you enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend, give your lawn and plants some love– I mean water– to help them start the growing season on strong footing. It will be well worth the effort!
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