INDIANAPOLIS — This summer in Indiana is starting out hot and dry, with a lot of 90-degree days and infrequent rain. Those conditions put stress on plants, flowers, trees and landscape plants.
On 13Sunrise, Pat Sullivan from Sullivan Hardware and Garden explained the watering strategies for most everything on the landscape.
Flowers and plants
"Hanging baskets need to get watered pretty much every day," Sullivan said, because the small amount of soil in the basket has to support the growth of a large, flowering plant above the rim of the basket.
A similar size of flowering plant in a pot on your porch under the hanging basket does not need the same amount of water, however, because a pot usually contains a higher quantity of soil and holds more water for a longer period of time. Because of this, Sullivan said pots tend to get over-watered.
Trees and shrubs
Trees and shrubs a more complicated.
"Generally, small shrubs (need) 4-to-5 gallons at a time," said Sullivan, who recommends using a soaker hose or a sprinkler to allow the water to slowly soak into the ground and reach the roots. Larger shrubs need about 10 gallons. Once a week or every five days is a good frequency, according to Sullivan.
Trees can be watered at the same frequency as shrubs, Sullivan said, using a hose or sprinkler to supply 10-to-20 gallons as far away from the trunk as the branches extent - or the "drip line."
Watch Sullivan's full Sunrise segment in the video player.