Watering Shrubs During Drought: Efficient Techniques

Water is the lifeblood of plants, transporting nutrients, sugars, and hormones. During drought or watering restrictions, prioritize the most valuable landscape plants. Hand-watering at the base of shrubs is more efficient than sprinklers because it delivers water directly to the root zone with less waste.

Hand-Watering Guidelines

Use a water wand or nozzle that creates rain-sized droplets to avoid runoff. Apply water slowly so it soaks in.

• Small shrubs (under 4 ft): 1 minute (about 5 gallons).
• Larger shrubs (4 ft and up): Add 15 seconds per foot of height over 4 ft. Example: an 8-ft shrub needs 2 minutes (10 gallons).

If runoff occurs before the allotted time, move to another plant and return later.

Soaker Hose Method

A soaker hose wets a 1-ft wide swath on each side. A 50-ft hose covers 100 sq ft. Apply 50 gallons per 100 sq ft when plants show stress. To measure your hose's output: coil it in a large plastic bag with a small hole in one corner, suspend over a 5-gallon bucket, run water, and time how long it takes to fill the bucket.

Extreme Restrictions

If outdoor watering is banned, prune severely wilted shrubs back by one-third to one-half to reduce water demand and increase survival chances.