in the recently watered upper 2 inches or so) will have
diRculty growing well because of the dry pan below. If
you wait until plants are wilting and drooping before
you water them, they will revive but they will have
su<ered some permanent damage—an open invitation
for pests and diseases. Slight drooping, however, is not
usually a sign that you should water. Plants are just
minimizing water loss (due to transpiration) when they
droop on a hot day, and watering them at this time will
increase water loss rather than lessen it. It will also
weaken the plant through too much pampering.
Shadenetting
After you have watered your newly planted bed, in hot
weather you may want to consider covering this area
with 30% shadenetting from approximately 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Use shade netting that is 1 to 3 feet wider and 3