Water Needs of Plants

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with how much water your plants need. Plants in this program are categorized into one of three irrigation categories depending on the optimum amount of water needed for good health. These are: very low, low, and medium. If plants have already been selected through viewing the Garden Gallery, Garden Tours, and Plants on the Main Menu, and a hydrozone report has been printed, plants will already be separated into their water need categories. To determine the water needs of an existing plant, go to the Main Menu and click Plants. Then click the plants by name button and look up plants by common or botanical name. While this program has an extensive plant list, it is not a complete list. Consult the Water Use Classifications of Landscape Species (WUCOLS), "Pajaro Valley Plant List", your water agency website, library, plant societies or clubs, and local nurseries for information on plants that are not included.

Very low and low water plants should do well in Santa Cruz County's climate with little or even no irrigation! From the Main Menu, click on Irrigation Guide to learn about how often and how much to water.

The following are rules of thumb when watering in a Mediterranean or coastal/fog climates. Ultimately, however, a visual assessment of the health and vigor of your plants is your best guide.

1.	Before you irrigate, check the soil moisture with a soil probe or trowel.

2.	“Very Low” plants can survive with no supplemental water in a normal year. During an unusually hot and/or dry summer (June-Sept.), these plants might need 3 to 4 deep soakings. No supplemental water should be necessary throughout the rest of the year.

4.	Many annuals, as well as fruits and vegetables, require the soil to be kept moist throughout the growing season if they are to bloom well, or produce a good crop.

5.	New or young plants have small root systems that tend to dry out quickly and need more water than mature plants during the first year establishment period.

6.	Under hot, dry, and/or windy conditions, plants use water rapidly. Young or shallow- rooted plants may need extra water, as they cannot absorb enough water to keep foliage from wilting.

7.	Water plants at night between 2:00 a.m. and sunrise. Watering in midday when the weather is hot, dry, or windy can waste water due to excessive evaporation. Watering late in the day will keep the soil surface wet all night increasing the chances of soil-borne fungi damaging garden plants.

Knowing how much water different plants may need becomes crucial during hot summer months. A few general rules:

▪	High water-use plants, such as turf should be watered two times per week. Turf is shallow rooted, and fast growing, requiring more frequent irrigation than most plants.

▪	An 800-square-foot lawn uses 2,000 to 4,000 gallons of water per month depending on the turf/grass type and climate.

▪	Moderate water-use plants (everyday ornamentals) need watering 2 times per week.

▪	Low water-use plants, such as Mediterranean, and many California natives, need only 1 watering day per week.

▪	Very low water-use plants will need no more than 1 watering day every other week.

For more tips on watering schedules, go to the Watering Tips found on the Main Menu.