Ajuga is an herbaceous perennial with showy purplish bronze foliage and pretty purple blooms. It provides texture and color to landscapes, decks, patios, balconies, and porches. It’s often used as a ground cover or in wildflower and rock gardens. This pollinator-friendly plant attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It thrives in moist, well-draining soil but is susceptible to crown rot, a fungal disease. Water the soil around the root zone and avoid wetting the foliage to keep Ajuga healthy.
How To Tell If Ajuga Needs Watered
Is Ajuga’s foliage beginning to look lackluster? If its otherwise shiny foliage starts to yellow, wilt, or brown at the edges, your ajuga may need water. Drooping is another sign of dehydration. Feel the soil with your finger to determine whether the top level is dry. If the soil feels dry, it is time to water.
How Often To Water Ajuga
Young plants have difficulty absorbing water from the surrounding soil with their immature root systems. As a result, newly planted Ajuga requires more water each week, about two inches weekly. Once established, however, Ajuga needs only an inch of water each week.
Ajuga develops drought tolerance once established and can withstand short periods of drought; however, for best performance, it needs one inch of water weekly. The soil should drain well and dry out a bit between waterings to prevent fungal diseases; avoid overwatering which can drown the roots.
When kept in containers, Ajuga needs one inch of water per week during the spring, summer, and fall and a little less during the winter. Water one to two times weekly during Ajuga’s more active months and less often during the winter.
Best Time To Water Ajuga
The best time to water Ajuga is in the early morning. Ground watering in the morning allows this perennial’s roots to extract water from the soil before it evaporates due to the sun’s heat. Taking up water in the morning also helps Ajuga function during the day’s heat. The second best time to water Ajuga is during the evening.
During the winter, however, the best time to water is mid-day, when ground and air temperatures are more likely to be above 40 degrees. The sun’s heat proves beneficial during this season. Do not water when the air or ground temperatures are below 40 degrees.
How to Water Ajuga
Step 1 - Provide Ajuga with one inch of water weekly, preferably in the morning.
Step 2 – If using a hose, direct the water to the soil around Ajuga. To prevent crown rot, refrain from wetting this perennial’s foliage/stems. If possible, use drip-line irrigation rather than a hose to water Ajuga.
Ajuga Watering Tips
- Ajuga needs two inches of water until established and one inch weekly after that.
- If using a hose, direct water towards the soil, not the foliage or stems.
- Utilize drip-line irrigation instead of the hose to conserve water and avoid wetting the foliage.
- Water during the morning during the active growing season.
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Author Suellen Barnes - Published 11-21-2023 |