The Whistling Gardener

by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, located at 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., and a respected local expert on all things horticultural. You can reach Steve at 425-334-2002 or by e-mail at info@sunnysidenursery.net.

To be perfectly frank, the last thing I want to talk about is watering. I would much rather wax on about these fabulous Phoenix Penstemons we just received that have bicolor blossoms, attract butterflies and hummers and bloom all summer, or the Volcano series garden phlox that come in four colors and, unlike our grandmother's garden phlox, don't get mildew. Or I could pontificate about the merits of all the new varieties of Pee Gee hydrangeas like Pinky Winky, Quick Fire, Little Lamb, Lime Light or Vanilla Strawberry that are coming into bloom this time of year.

But alas, duty calls and as promised, I will deliver my epistle on proper watering. So pay attention, this is just as boring for me as it is for you.

Most gardeners water too often and not deep enough. Stick your finger into the soil two inches down (if it will go that far) and see if there is any moisture. If there is, DON'T WATER YET. Wait a few more days. If it is dry, then apply some water slowly so it has a chance to soak in. Herein lies the crux of the problem. Water doesn't soak into glacial till, which is what most of us have.

Most of us are trying to garden on two to four inches of topsoil. You can thank your city/county building departments for leaving you in this untenable situation. If they would just require the builder to leave us with 12-18 inches of wonderful topsoil, they would solve their storm water runoff problems and make every gardener in Puget Sound very happy. I keep waiting for the light bulb to go on, but so far it hasn't happened as far as I can see. In the meantime, about all we can do is to add annual applications of compost and use an appropriate sprinkler to apply our water.

Appropriate sprinklers are as follows:

Soaker hoses such as those recycled rubber tire ones that ooze or sweat.

These are perfect for shrub borders and permanent plantings. Turn them on when you go to work and turn them off that evening or even a couple days later (after you have stuck you finger two inches into the ground to check the moisture penetration). We sell one by Gilmour that has a lifetime guarantee against kinking or breaking.

Flat, green soaker hoses. These are the ones I grew up with that we used to run through in the summer. They have little holes in them that, in the upright position, put out a fine spray or, when upside down, soak directly into the soil. Andrews is a U.S. company that still makes these hoses and gives them a 5-year warranty. They are good to use on lawns or flower beds. Water comes out faster than the rubber tire ones, so you can't leave them on as long.

Oscillating or impact sprinklers. You can pay anywhere from $15 to $80 for an oscillating sprinkler. I suppose you get what you pay for. They are perfect for square or rectangular spaces and apply water fairly uniformly. I use them in my back yard, which is--surprise surprise--rectangular. Impact sprinklers like the good old Rainbird styles are more adjustable for odd configurations. Both types work well for large areas and can usually run for 20-40 minutes before you have to move them.

For spot watering, my all-time most favorite sprinkler is a spike fan sprinkler. Several companies have manufactured them over the years, but it appears that Gilmour is the only one that still does. I own three of them and use them to water specific areas of the garden. They come in both 90-degree and 180-degree patterns and sell for around 5 bucks. Trust me when I say once you have one of these you will guard it with your life. I have had mine for over 40 years.

For hand watering pots, it is hard to beat all the various sprinklers that Dramm manufacturers. With their wands and hand-held nozzles, you can do anything from lightly misting the foliage of a delicate fern to blasting off the bug remains on the windshield of your car. And with all the designer colors they come in, it can actually be fun to do these chores.

So to summarize, first and foremost, stick your finger two inches into the soil to see if you really need to water. Established shrubs and trees need only a once or twice a month watering; perennials, annuals and lawns only a 1-3 times a week watering and containers only every day or every other day, depending on how rootbound they are. Water deeply and infrequently using an appropriate sprinkler and always count your blessings that we live in such a civilized society that we have the option to water at all.

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at 425-334-2002 or online at info@sunnysidenursery.net.