Topic: new ceanothus - how should I water initially??

[Gorlash]

I'm in Fremont, CA.  We just had a ceanothus planted out front when we had our yard redone.  It's about 4 foot tall and staked.  I don't know what specific type it is, unfortunately.

I know that once it's established, I should never manually water it at all, and it's placed where the sprinklers won't be getting anywhere near it.  What I *don't* know is how I should water it initially??  I've been giving it a good soaking for 5 minutes every other day (it's only been there about three days so far), but I'm wondering if I should even do that??  I'm assuming I need to do some initial watering to get the roots seated well, but is that correct??  Please advise!!

[ACE]

This is one I do not really understand. 'Never water manually'  why? I never water mine because they are established shrubs and can find their own, but they still get hit by the hose if I am watering nearby. With no ill effects.

As for newly planted, fill the hole with water before you plant, then give it a drink every evening if it looks as if it is wilting.

[Tee Gee]

The initial watering will be subject to your soil type eg;

If it is light and free draining it will want more regular watering until the shrub establishes itself whereas if the soil is dense and not free draining it will require less regular watering.

In the latter case too much watering can result in 'ponding' and the roots could be constantly sitting in water and may rot.

Temperature can also play its part i.e. evaporation (or lack of)

So as you see there is no simple answer to your problem, it is basically down to you and the knowledge you have of your soil.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!!

[Hyacinth]

I'm agreeing with ACE and TG on all their points 8)

End of the day, look at your plant, consider the temps and your soil and get to know it and love it :-* If it's thriving you're doing the right thing....btw...I put a good mulching of well-rotted horse muck round the base of mine when I put them in. Keeps the moisture in and the bushes seem to love it.

Love my ceanothus, me :)

[Gorlash]

Thanks for the comments, all!!
I don't actually know the soil in that location very well, other than that up until recently an Oleander was thriving there, along with all the ants that it attracted.  The site DOES have a south exposure, and will get direct sun all day.  Also, in the past, that area has not tended to get real muddy during the rainy season, so I'm guessing that it's fairly well draining.

I'll try watering it in the evening a couple times a week, and just watch to see how it goes.  I'm planting ceanothus partially because they're very tolerant not only of drought conditions but also unskilled humans  :o , but a couple of years ago I planted two in the backyard; watered them the same, one thrived and one died, so who can figure??

We'll see how this goes

[Tee Gee]

along with all the ants

Its is most likely to be a dry open textured soil if these are here!!

[Gorlash]

> Its is most likely to be a dry open textured soil if these are here!

Huh??  I hadn't thought about their effect, except on our paper wasps, which we like, and the damned ants keep invading.

Anyway, the landscaper chewed up the area pretty well in the process of grinding out the stumps from the oleander (and other unwanted plants that were there...).  Hopefully, if I keep harassing the ant trails when they form, I can keep them from getting re-established. 

Last spring I put out significant quantities of three different kinds of baits, yet we *still* had tons of those cursed creatures...

[Rohaise]

 Our beautiful 15 year old ceanothus bush ,the size of a tree has finally come to the end of its time ...I,ve been told they are quite short lived .  So sad, as when in bloom it was magnificent !
     The time has come to remove it and we are going to plant another one. ...probably next weekend . I will water it in on planting (WATER FROM THE WATER BUT )  ,but hopefully it will be raining when I do the job ,so I wont have to water it all ! It ,ll get it,s roots down over winter and hopefully put on a lovely display of blue flowers in Spring .  Rohaise   x     :D

[ACE]

Not really a good idea to plant the new one in the same place.

[quizzical1]

I have 2 Ceanothus planted about 4 yrs apart.

The one in the back garden is more compact, and has the tiny evergreen leaves, about 1/4 inch long or so. When this flowers, the entire bush turns blue. It is about 12 yrs old now and gets regularly pruned form underneath to keep it a beautiful mushroom shape, which I can now walk beneath. It's now about 10 ft tall and 12 ft across. It probasbly gets pruned at least twice a year in this way.

The younger one in the front garden is about 15 ft tall and wide already, and more treelike. I have a problem with this one, in that all the new growth seems to grow downwards, and as it now hangs over the pavement outside, I have to keep trimming it to avoid it catching pedestrians in the eye etc.. The flowers on this one are more like the racemes on a lilac, and the leaves are much larger than the other. Probably about an inch or more long.

They are both beautiful when in flower, which the one out front is right now. (Again).

Neither got any special treatment when planted, apart from ensuring they didn't dry out for the first month or so.