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How to Water New Plants in Phoenix

Watering higher up? Your area's notes are below.

Live higher up, in a town like Sedona, Prescott, Payson or Flagstaff? Watering changes there, and each monthly planting page has a short section for higher and cooler parts of Arizona.

New plants in the Valley need water often at first, then less and less as their roots spread. The rule that holds for every plant is to water deep and not often. Deep water grows deep roots, and light, frequent water keeps roots shallow. Too much water is the most common mistake, not too little. This page covers the first weeks by season, drip, hand watering, each plant type, caliche, and the problems people run into most.

If you bought from us, your My Plants page shows the photos to send and when. See Grow With Us for how the guarantee works.

How deep to water

Small plants like cactus, groundcovers and perennials: about 1 foot deep.
Shrubs: about 2 feet deep.
Trees and palms: 2 to 3 feet deep.

To check, push a long screwdriver or a thin metal rod into the soil about an hour after watering. It slides easily through wet soil and stops when it hits dry soil. Once a plant is rooted, water again when the rod will not go in more than 3 to 4 inches. For the first weeks, keep the root ball moist.

The first weeks, by season

This schedule is for most new trees, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. Cactus, citrus and palms are different, see below.

Weeks after planting	Summer (May to September)	Cooler months (October to April)
Weeks 1 and 2	Every 1 to 2 days	Every 2 to 4 days
Weeks 3 to 8	Stretch slowly to about every 7 days by week 8	Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days by week 8
Month 3 to the end of year 1	Keep stretching slowly toward a rooted schedule	Same

Shrubs take about 1 to 2 years to get rooted, and trees about 2 to 3 years. Water early in the morning. New plants still need water in winter, just less often, so do not turn their drip line off.

Watering by area

Where you are planting

ValleyMid elevationHigh desertMountains

Same schedule for drip or hand watering. Summer is May to September. Cooler months are October to April.Summer is May to September. Spring and fall are March, April, October and November. Winter is December to February.Summer is June to August. Spring is April and May, and fall is September and October. Winter is November to March. In winter, water late in the morning on a mild day so it soaks in before night. To check, push a long screwdriver in an hour after watering. It slides easily through wet soil and stops at dry soil.

Cactus, agave and succulents

First 2 weeks: Wait about a week after planting before the first water.; Wait at least a week after planting before the first water.
Weeks 3 to 8: About every 1 to 2 weeks while nights stay above 60°F. Little or none in cooler months.; Summer, about every 1 to 2 weeks while nights stay above 60°F. Spring, fall and winter, little or none.; Spring, fall and winter, little or none. Summer, no set number yet, so use the check below.
After that: Every 2 to 4 weeks in summer, 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall. Winter, none unless very dry.; Summer, every 2 to 3 weeks in dry spells, and skip it after good monsoon rain. Spring and fall, every 3 to 4 weeks if dry. Winter, none. Keep the soil dry before freezing nights.; Summer, every 2 to 3 weeks in dry spells, and skip it after good monsoon rain. Winter, none. Keep the soil dry before freezing nights. Spring and fall, no set number yet, so use the check below.
How deep: About 1 foot.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Too much water is the most common way to lose a new cactus or agave. On a shrub or tree drip line, a cactus gets too much water, so give it its own line.

Many cacti can come off the drip after the second year. Keep cactus soil dry on freeze nights.

Desert shrubs, groundcovers and perennials

First 2 weeks: Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Cooler months, every 2 to 4 days.; Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days.
Weeks 3 to 8: Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in cooler months.; Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall.
After that: Rooted shrubs (1 to 2 years): every 2 to 3 weeks in summer, monthly or less in winter.; Rooted shrubs (1 to 2 years): every 2 to 3 weeks in summer, about every 3 to 4 weeks in spring and fall, about monthly in winter if no rain or snow.; Rooted shrubs (1 to 2 years): in summer, spring and fall, water when the top 2 inches are dry. Check in the morning. Winter, about monthly if no rain or snow.; Rooted shrubs (1 to 2 years): water when the top 2 inches are dry. Check in the morning, and cut back once monsoon rains arrive. Winter, about monthly in dry spells with no snow, and no longer than 4 to 6 weeks between.
How deep: Shrubs about 2 feet. Groundcovers and perennials about 1 foot.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Groundcovers and perennials once rooted: every 7 to 10 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall, about every 3 weeks in winter.

Until a plant is rooted, keep stretching the time between waterings slowly. Shrubs in spring and fall: somewhere between the summer and winter numbers.

Sandy soil or small plants: use the shorter number. Clay or big plants: the longer number.

Shrubs that like more water

First 2 weeks: Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Cooler months, every 2 to 4 days. Lean to the shorter number.; Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days.
Weeks 3 to 8: Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in cooler months.; Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall.
After that: Rooted (1 to 2 years): about weekly in summer, every 10 days in spring and fall, every 2 weeks in winter.; Rooted (1 to 2 years): about weekly in summer, every 10 days in spring and fall, about every 2 weeks in winter if no rain or snow.; Rooted (1 to 2 years): in summer, spring and fall, water when the top 2 inches are dry. Check in the morning. Winter, about every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Rooted (1 to 2 years): water when the top 2 inches are dry. Check in the morning, and cut back once monsoon rains arrive. Winter, once or twice a month in dry spells with no snow. Evergreens need it most.
How deep: About 2 feet.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Until a plant is rooted, keep stretching the time between waterings slowly.

Sandy soil or small plants: use the shorter number. Clay or big plants: the longer number.

Desert trees

First 2 weeks: Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Cooler months, every 2 to 4 days.; Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days.
Weeks 3 to 8: Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in cooler months.; Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall.
After that: Rooted (2 to 3 years): every 2 to 3 weeks in summer, about monthly in winter. Until then, a bit more often.; Rooted (2 to 3 years): about monthly in winter if no rain or snow. Summer, spring and fall, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Rooted (2 to 3 years): in summer, spring and fall, water when the top 3 inches are dry. Check in the morning. Winter, about monthly if no rain or snow.; Rooted (2 to 3 years): water when the top 3 inches are dry. Check in the morning, and cut back once monsoon rains arrive. Winter, about monthly in dry spells with no snow, and no longer than 4 to 6 weeks between.
How deep: 2 to 3 feet as the tree grows.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Rooted desert trees in spring and fall: every 3 to 4 weeks.

Too much water grows fast, weak wood that can break or blow over in monsoon winds.

Once rooted, water at the outer edge of the branches, never only at the trunk. Keep trees on a different drip valve from shrubs.

Shade and other trees

First 2 weeks: Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Cooler months, every 2 to 4 days. Lean to the shorter number.; Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days.
Weeks 3 to 8: Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in cooler months.; Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall.
After that: Rooted (2 to 3 years): every 7 to 10 days in summer, every 2 to 3 weeks in winter.; Rooted (2 to 3 years): every 7 to 10 days in summer, every 10 to 12 days in spring and fall. Winter, only if no rain or snow: evergreens every 2 to 4 weeks, trees that drop their leaves every 4 to 8 weeks.; Rooted (2 to 3 years): in summer, spring and fall, water when the top 3 inches are dry. Check in the morning. Winter, only if no rain or snow: evergreens every 2 to 4 weeks, trees that drop their leaves every 4 to 8 weeks.; Rooted (2 to 3 years): water when the top 3 inches are dry. Check in the morning, and cut back once monsoon rains arrive. Winter, only in dry spells with no snow: evergreens every 2 to 4 weeks, trees that drop their leaves every 4 to 8 weeks.
How deep: 2 to 3 feet.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Rooted trees in spring and fall: every 10 to 12 days.

Once rooted, water at the outer edge of the branches, never only at the trunk. Keep trees on a different drip valve from shrubs.

Sandy soil or small trees: use the shorter number. Clay or big trees: the longer number.

Palms

First weeks: Keep the root ball moist but not soggy.; Palms do not grow outdoors this high up.
After that: How often depends on the kind of palm. See the Care tab on your palm's page.
How deep: 2 to 3 feet. Keep water off the trunk.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Palms root best when planted in warm weather. As the palm grows, widen the area you water.

Citrus and fruit trees

First month: Every 1 to 3 days.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days.
Months 2 and 3: Every 3 to 5 days, then stretch out slowly.; No set number yet. Stretch out slowly and use the check below.
After that: Rooted citrus: every 7 to 14 days in summer, 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Never daily.; Rooted: every 1 to 2 weeks while in leaf. Winter, about every 1 to 2 months if no rain or snow.; Citrus does not grow outdoors this high up.
How deep: 2 to 3 feet. Let the top few inches dry before the next watering.
Check: A long screwdriver slides in easily that deep.

Citrus in spring and fall: somewhere between the summer and winter numbers.

Peach, plum, apple and other fruit trees once rooted: every 1 to 2 weeks while growing, about monthly in winter.

Citrus does not grow outdoors this high up.

Light watering every day leaves salt in the soil. Water deeply and less often.

Ornamental grasses

First 2 weeks: Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Cooler months, every 2 to 4 days.; Summer, every 1 to 2 days. Spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 4 days. Winter, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Summer, spring and fall, every 2 to 3 days.
Weeks 3 to 8: Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in cooler months.; Stretch slowly to about every 7 days in summer, 10 to 14 days in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall. Winter, about weekly to every 2 weeks if no rain or snow.; Stretch slowly to about every 10 to 14 days in summer, about every 2 weeks in spring and fall.
After that: Rooted grasses (1 to 2 years): every 1 to 2 weeks in summer, monthly or less in winter.; Rooted grasses (1 to 2 years): monthly or less in winter. Summer, spring and fall, no set number yet, so use the check below.; Rooted grasses (1 to 2 years): monthly or less in winter, in dry spells with no snow. Summer, spring and fall, no set number yet, so use the check below.
Check: A long screwdriver slides easily through wet soil.

Water deeply through the first summer so the roots grow deep. Spring and fall: somewhere between the summer and winter numbers.

Grasses rest and turn tan in winter, so they need little water then. Cut back once a year in late winter, before new growth, to a few inches. Some years can be skipped.

Drip, not spray, keeps reseeding down. Lily turf and sedges need more water.

Watering with drip

Where the emitters go

At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, spread around different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, as roots grow out, add emitters farther out. Do not pull all the old ones in the first year. Each year after that, keep adding emitters at the outer edge of the branches. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.

How many emitters

Go by how wide the plant is, not by its pot size. Common emitters put out 1/2, 1 or 2 gallons per hour.

Under 2 feet wide: 1 emitter.
4 to 6 feet wide: 2 to 3 emitters.
Trees: more emitters as the tree gets wider.

Change how often, not how long

Drip runs are usually 2 hours or more. Set the run time once, using the screwdriver test to see that water reached the right depth. After that, change how often the drip runs through the year and keep the run time about the same. Plants use 3 to 5 times as much water in the hot season as in winter.

Lines and valves

Put cactus on its own line, keep trees on a different line from shrubs, and give pots their own line. A cactus on a shrub or tree line gets too much water and can crack. A drip system needs a backflow preventer, a filter and a pressure reducer.

When to change the timer

Change the timer at least every season: in March, May, October and December. Plants need the most water from late spring into early July. Monsoon humidity slows how fast plants lose water.

Rain and freezes

If half an inch of rain or more falls in your yard, skip the next watering. Storms are spotty, so a rain gauge in your own yard helps.
Do not water more often in monsoon season. Walk the yard after storms and check the timer and the drip lines.
On a freeze night, water the day before, except cactus. Cover tender plants with frost cloth or a sheet down to the ground, and take it off in the morning.

Hand watering at the plant

Hand watering works for new plants. The key is getting a slow, deep soak to the root ball, not a quick spray.

A basin around the root ball

Build a low berm a few inches high at the edge of the root ball. For the first few weeks the water has to land on the root ball itself. A ring wider than the root ball can leave the root ball dry even when the soil around it is wet. As roots grow, move the basin outward toward the edge of the branches. Keep water off the trunk.

A soaker ring or a slow hose

A ring of soaker hose around the plant works well for trees and shrubs, though it can clog. A hose at full flow puts out about 10 gallons in 2 minutes, which mostly runs off. Use a slow trickle or fill the basin and let it soak in. To learn your trickle, time how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket. If you hand water, a battery hose timer on a soaker ring is the simplest way to put it on a schedule. Sprinklers are not a good fit for trees and shrubs.

About how much each time

Size	Gallons each watering, new plant
1 Gallon	About 1 to 1.5
5 Gallon shrub	About 4 to 5
5 Gallon tree	About 5 to 15
15 Gallon	About 15 to 20

For larger trees, water until the screwdriver test shows the soil wet 2 to 3 feet down.

By plant type

Cactus, agave, aloe and yucca

Plant into dry soil and wait about a week before the first water. Then water about every 1 to 2 weeks while nights stay above 60 degrees, and little or none in winter. Water about 1 foot deep. Many can come off the drip after the second year. Shop cactus and agaves.

Desert shrubs and perennials

Follow the first weeks schedule above. Water shrubs about 2 feet deep and perennials about 1 foot deep. Once rooted, desert shrubs need water about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about monthly or less in winter. Skip a winter watering after rain. Shop shrubs and perennials and groundcovers.

Trees

Follow the first weeks schedule above, and water deeper as the tree grows, out to 2 to 3 feet. Trees take about 2 to 3 years to get rooted. Too much water on desert trees grows fast, weak wood that can break or blow over in monsoon winds. Shop trees.

Citrus

Water every 1 to 3 days the first month, then every 3 to 5 days in months 2 and 3, then stretch it out. Water 2 to 3 feet deep, out to just past the edge of the branches. Let the top few inches dry before the next watering. Never water daily once the tree is rooted.

Palms

Palms differ by kind, so follow the Care tab on your palm's product page. For every palm, keep water off the trunk. Shop palms.

Caliche and drainage test

Before you plant, dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy.

Dig through the caliche if you can, and break out the solid chunks.
If you cannot get through, dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it. Refill them with the same soil, not gravel.
If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Backfill with the soil you dug out. No compost or manure in the hole.

Clay takes water in slowly and holds it longer, so water it slowly and less often. Sandy soil dries out faster, so water it more often for a shorter time.

Watering in the hottest months

When it gets very hot, more water is not always the answer. Water longer each time so it soaks deep, instead of adding extra days.

Water early, about 1 to 3 hours before sunrise. Midday water mostly evaporates.
Give plants a break in extreme heat. Hold off on planting, pruning, shearing and fertilizing until it cools down.
Move potted plants to a shadier spot, and keep the pot out of the afternoon sun.
Check plants for signs of stress, even older ones. Young trees and shrubs with small roots feel the heat first.
Walk the yard while the drip runs. Heat is hard on pipes, emitters and lines, and a broken line can leave plants dry.

Group plants by water needs

Plant things that need the same amount of water together, on the same drip line. Low water plants next to thirsty ones means one of them gets the wrong amount.

Keep cactus and succulents together, low water shrubs together, and higher water plants together.
Put the plants that need the most water close to the house or patio, where you see and use them most.
Each plant page shows its water need in the spec boxes, so you can match plants before you buy.

Mulch

A layer of mulch covers and cools the soil, slows evaporation and helps keep weeds down.

Organic mulch, like bark or wood chips, breaks down over time and feeds the soil. It suits trees, shrubs and flower beds.
Rock mulch, like decomposed granite, is the common choice in desert yards and lasts for years.
Keep mulch a few inches back from trunks and stems.
Groundcovers add color to big stretches of rock and help shade bare ground.

Common problems and one fix for each

Soft, mushy or black at the base of a cactus, agave or aloe. This is rot from soil that stays wet. Stop watering and let the soil dry out.
Leaves wilt in the afternoon but perk up by evening. That is normal heat stress. Check the soil 2 to 3 inches down and only water if it feels dry.
Leaves still wilted in the morning, or yellow and dropping. Check the soil. Dry means water deeply and less often. Soggy means you are watering too much, so let it dry out first.
Yellow leaves with green veins, newest leaves first. Valley soil locks up iron. Fix any overwatering first, then use an iron product.
Bleached patches on a cactus or agave, or cracked bark on a young tree trunk. That is sunburn. Shade new succulents with 30 to 60 percent shade cloth their first summer.
Brown, burned leaf tips and edges. If it starts at the tips and edges, it is often salt from light, frequent watering. Once or twice each summer, water about twice as long as usual.
Frost turned leaves brown or black. Do not prune yet. Wait until new growth starts in spring, usually around March, then cut back only the dead parts.
Water still sitting in the planting hole a day later. Dig small holes through the hard layer beside the root ball and refill them with the same soil.

If you bought the plant from us and something looks wrong, send photos from your My Plants page.

How often should I water a new plant in the Phoenix summer?

Every 1 to 2 days for the first two weeks. Then stretch it slowly to about once a week by week 8. Cactus and agave are the exception and get much less.

How do I know if I am watering too much or too little?

Too little water turns older leaves yellow or brown, and leaves wilt, curl or drop. Too much water keeps the soil always wet and turns young leaves light green or yellow. Algae or mushrooms in the soil also point to too much water.

Should I water more during monsoon season?

No. Monsoon humidity slows how fast plants lose water. If half an inch of rain or more falls in your yard, skip the next watering.

Do new plants need water in winter?

Yes, just less often. New trees and shrubs still need water in the cooler months. Cactus and succulents need little or none in winter.

How long should I run my drip system?

Usually 2 hours or more. Use the screwdriver test to find the run time that wets the right depth. Then change how often it runs through the year, not how long.

When is a new plant rooted in?

Shrubs take about 1 to 2 years and trees about 2 to 3 years. Until then, water them a little more often than an older plant of the same kind.

Planning what to plant next? See what to plant in Phoenix, month by month, or browse low water plants.

More yard guides: best shade trees, privacy hedges, oleander replacements, pool friendly plants and frost protection.