• Germinating seeds and seedlings-need to be kept uniformly moist without being washed away, so water them with a gentle spray every day or two.

• Developing plants- need to be watered deeply, but less often, to encourage deep root growth. Water to a depth of at least 6 inches and then let the surface inch or two completely dry out before watering again.

• Garden plants with established roots- only need to be thoroughly watered every 5-7 days in hot weather.   (Proper watering in the first place is what helps them to develop strong roots.)
  Containers- will need to be watered more often than garden beds because roots are confined to a small space. With containers, whitish deposits composed of various salts (soluble substances) from hard water and fertilizer may build up on the surface of the potting mix or on the exterior of clay pots, indicating insufficient drainage or not enough flow-through of water. To minimize salt buildup, add excess water that will run out the drain hole each time you water.

• Newly planted trees and shrubs- Form a catch basin by making a low soil berm at the outer edge of the root ball. Fill the basin with water, and then let it soak in. Each time you water, fill the basin once for sandy soil, twice for loamy soil, and three times for clay soil.

• Lawns- Water to 8 or 10 inches deep.
• Flower beds- Water to a depth of about 12 to 15 inches.
• Trees- in Oregon have the majority of their absorbing roots in the upper 12 to 18” of soil, but deep growing sinker roots can go to about 3 to 4’ deep.
• Shrubs- Roots of many shrubs can go several feet deep if soil conditions are suitable; camellia and rhododendron roots are exceptions in that they’re closer to the surface.
  

Additional Water Wise Tips-- 
For watering methods click here

For signs of ineffective watering click here

For additional water wise tips click here