Be sure plants are getting water they need

Now that the weather has cooled off a bit, we need to think about our plants.

We enjoy the heat and sun by playing in the sprinkler or going to the lake, but your plants are stuck where you planted them, and they rely on you for water.

Have you noticed any dry spots, yellowing of the grass, drooping leaves on your plants?

It may be that your sprinkler system isn’t running properly and water isn’t getting where it is supposed to.

With the heat and sun, we need to check for problems before we lose a plant to drought.

First we need to verify all the sprinklers are working correctly by turning them on and visually checking for good water flow, movement of the head, and no plants blocking the flow.

As plants grow and spread, they can block a sprinkler or block the flow of water to an area that was getting water in the spring.

Also, sometimes the sprinklers break, lose a head or get clogged.

Replace heads if needed, adjust heads to water the correct area, if needed, and trim plants if they are blocking water flow.

Next check to see that enough water is being applied.

Place several shallow cans such as empty tuna cans within the wetted path or radius of the sprinkler just prior to watering. Avoid placing at the extreme outer edge of your sprinkler’s wetted path.

Run the sprinkler system for 30 minutes. Measure the amount of water collected in your shallow cans. Multiply that depth by two to get the amount of water that your sprinkler applies over a one-hour period.

Adjust the running time of the sprinkler, up or down, to apply an inch to an inch and half of water an hour without causing runoff or a puddle.