| Normal rainfall in Florida
ranges from 52 to approximately 60 inches per year. However,
more than one-half of the annual total rain falls from June
through September. During the winter and spring lack of rainfall
may seriously affect lawn and garden growth without supplemental
irrigation.
Often, droughts are thought of as long periods of time,
such as months or years without rain, but Florida can experience
drought conditions after only a few days without rain.
This is a result of the very sandy soils in most of the
state. Even during the rainy season, evapotranspiration
(ET) rates may be high enough that irrigation of shallow
rooted crops is required in order to avoid excessive water
stress. Since the roots of most ornamental plants and grass
are quite shallow, these plants are able to uptake the
water stored in only the top 6 to 12 inches of the soil
profile. Garden vegetables may develop deeper roots and
be able to obtain water from depths of 18 to 24 inches.
However, Florida's sandy soils have very low water holding
capacities, and therefore the amount of water stored in
the root zone, and available to the plant is very limited.
Consequently, to avoid water stress, soil moisture must
be replenished frequently by natural rainfall or supplemental
irrigation.
Moore Landscaping, Inc. will design and install an efficient
irrigation system for you. By installing an efficient
watering system, you not only protect your landscape investment
you also conserve water to maintain a healthy landscape. |