level of ground water & plants

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eddie
Posts: 1088
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:29 pm
Location: The Hague NL Zone 7a

level of ground water & plants

Post by eddie »

I wonder, here in town the level of ground water is, depending on the time of year, around 1.6-1.9 meter below streetlevel.

Palms and other exotics make a big root system, I believe the roots go deep too. When does the root system reach the ground water? If the roots have reached the ground water, would it still be usefull to water the plants?

During the dry periods this year in april & may, the grass looked brown but the bigger bushes and trees did not show any sign of drying out

Are there members with experience with these conditions?
Washingtonia Trachycarpus Cordyline? Bamboos Olive tree? Bananas
leunerj

Re: level of ground water & plants

Post by leunerj »

Good question Eddie. If you don't mind me piggy-backing your post, I'm also interested in the responses in regards to planting in gravel/sand...

If the root systems of plants will eventually reach the water table is there a benefit of adding gravel and sand/grit to the soil or is it just a temporary measure?
mumfie

Re: level of ground water & plants

Post by mumfie »

i think the root system depends on the type of palm. desert palms will send long roots straight down (like brahae). other palms, like trachies, develop more of a root "ball". chammies send deep roots as well.

i recently did an experiment with seedlings planted in some long waste pipe tubes. the chammies sent long roots straight out the bottom, but the trachies' roots are still well within their tubes.

in my opinion, you are right not to bother with watering the plants that are capable of tapping in to the supply beneath
sanatic1234

Re: level of ground water & plants

Post by sanatic1234 »

to be fair though eddie you can't really compare grass to bushes, there roots are very different in size. This is probably why you see big changes in the two and bushes are pretty drought tolerant depending on the kind of bush and the age of it. I have some that never get watered only by the rain as i don't see it being a plant that is in need of water like other and that rain water will do it just fine, they grow well flower well and look healthy. Although grass with no water would simply die.
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eddie
Posts: 1088
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:29 pm
Location: The Hague NL Zone 7a

Re: level of ground water & plants

Post by eddie »

Well thats right, grass is different from bush, so thats not a good comparison.

My Washingtonia's make a root straight down I believe, I am wondering if they have already hit the ground water level. They like a lot of water in the growing season, so if they've hit ground water, I wonder if they simply take the water they need.

Maybe ground water in the UK is deeper then over here, since we're a bit below sea level.

Anyway I'll keep on watering my Trachycarpus icon_thumleft
Washingtonia Trachycarpus Cordyline? Bamboos Olive tree? Bananas
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