New Plant Watering Guide

3 images - roses for sale, a new plant being watered after planting, and a tree in a box for sale

Our Watering Guide for New Plants

Did you know that plants that are taken home and not planted right away should be kept in the shade and watered daily—or more often, as needed based on the size of the plant?  In fact, the thin containers that plants are sold in are designed for temporary use and are not designed to help plants retain water. That means that the soil will dry out very quickly in the heat and sun. Therefore, we recommend planting newly purchased plants in your garden landscape as soon as possible to help ensure their success.

For new, in-ground plantings, we recommend that you give the plant water according to its size at the time of planting in order to help it establish a strong root system in your garden landscape and require less watering once established.

Desert Plant Being WateredFor New Plantings, We Recommend:

  • 1 gallon plant - needs 1 gallon of water each watering
  • 5 gallon plant - needs 5 gallons of water each watering
  • 15 gallon plant - needs 15 gallons of water each watering
  • 24-inch box tree - needs 24 gallons of water each watering
  • 36-inch box tree - needs 36 gallons of water each watering

According to SFGATE, you can estimate the flow rate of the water coming out of your hose by placing the end of your hose in a 5-gallon bucket. Hold onto the hose to keep it in place and turn the water on. (Be certain to note how much you turn the spigot, so that when you turn it on the next time the water will flow at the same rate.) Keep track of how long it takes to fill the bucket. If it takes 5 minutes to fill a 5-gallon bucket, then your flow rate is 1 gallon per minute. This will help you water the correct amount of gallons, based on the size of your new plant.

The deeper you water, the deeper the root system grows and the less often you will need to water it.


New Summer Plantings

Note: The more extreme heat and wind, the more frequent the watering required.

Week 1 & 2 Week 3 & 4 Week 5 & 6 Week 7 & 8 Week 9 & After
Water every 1-2 days Water every 3-4 days Water every 4-6 days Water every 7 days Continue less frequent, deep waterings

New Fall, Winter & Spring Plantings

Week 1 & 2 Week 3 & 4 Week 5 & 6 Week 7 & 8 Week 9 & After
Water every 3-4 days Water every 6-7 days Water every 7-10 days Water every 10-14 days Continue less frequent, deep waterings

container gardening from cupertino custom creation with geraniums, bacopa, black petuniasContainer Plants

Plants planted in containers require special consideration. To learn the do's and don'ts about watering plants in containers, refer to our article, Common Misconceptions About Watering Plants in Containers.

Questions? Speak with one of our Trusted Garden Advisors, or visit your favorite local SummerWinds Nursery location.

Click the following links to learn ways you can sensibly water your landscape, or to download the Landscape Watering Guide from Water - Use It Wisely.

To download a PDF copy of this page, click: New Plant Watering Guide

At SummerWinds, We Guarantee Success!