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I'm considering plating catanaches and butterfly weed in a garden that has several large knockout roses. Both the catanaches and butterfly weed need "moderate to little water" My theory was that if I plant them near the roses, they won't compete with the roses for the water. Does this make sense? Or would I be better off to keep these plants separated?
Right now I'm watering the garden with a spinkler for about 10 minutes daily when it doesn't rain, and it gets a deeper watering about once a week (rain storms).
Related question: I have a few white pines growing near the roses. They were "planted by birds" but I decided to keep them as small bush like plants that I am keeping trimmed at about 1 1/2 feet high. They've been there about 4 years now. Are they competing with the roses for water? Should I pull them out and plant something less thirsty?
I'm considering plating catanaches and butterfly weed in a garden that has several large knockout roses. Both the catanaches and butterfly weed need "moderate to little water" My theory was that if I plant them near the roses, they won't compete with the roses for the water. Does this make sense? Or would I be better off to keep these plants separated?
Right now I'm watering the garden with a spinkler for about 10 minutes daily when it doesn't rain, and it gets a deeper watering about once a week (rain storms).
Related question: I have a few white pines growing near the roses. They were "planted by birds" but I decided to keep them as small bush like plants that I am keeping trimmed at about 1 1/2 feet high. They've been there about 4 years now. Are they competing with the roses for water? Should I pull them out and plant something less thirsty?
The knockout roses really don't need all that much water, nothing like other types. We're using them down here in Texas as they're pretty drought tolerant.
After the Knock Out roses have been in the ground for a year or two they are pretty drought tolerant. The Butterfly Weed will need more water than the Knock Out until it is established.
I fear you could be overwatering right now. If I plant something past May I watch carefully and water as needed but then only once a week give a good drenching. Most folks will tell you they lose plants from overwatering rather than not watering enough. Good luck.
If they are wilting by afternoon, could be too much sun and not a water problem.
The issue with planting plants together with very different cultivation factors is that neither may do well. Or per your question one ends up dead from overwatering and/or one from underwatering. I understand your question in regards to one plant soaking up more water, but that really isn't a thing in the way you are asking.
If on the other hand you want a plant that will help dry out a boggy area for example then you could conceivably plant a cypress tree for that specific purpose. But, it still wouldn't make say a cactus under it do better.
I either try to use plants with similar cultivation needs (water, light, soil pH etc.) together or else use containers for the outliers.
Knockout roses grow pretty well in parking lot medians here. We get a lot of rain, but the medians do get hot and dry.
I don't think plants compete for water so much as they need to be suited for their conditions. If you put bog plants next to desert plants and try to average out how much water they need, they'll both be unhappy.
Depends how big the difference in water needs. Some plants like the soil very wet, such as plants adapted to swampy and partially or completely water logged soils. Meanwhile desert plants can do well in bone dry crusty sandy soil. You're probably not going to be able to grow swamp & desert plants together because the swamp plants are adapted to areas where even after the plant has had its drink, the soil is still wet. Some plants might like waterlogged soils because the water drowns out certain pests for example, and the plants lack resistance to those pests, so they won't do well in dry soils. Meanwhile desert plants would rot and drown (most plant roots require air).
Now, in your case, I think the water needs of your plants are more subtle. I grew tomatoes, beans, carrots are parsley all mixed together last year. Tomatoes are generally considered to be fairly thirsty, while beans are more drought resistant. Carrots and parsley can handle somewhat dry conditions as long as it's not too hot. Last summer was not too hot (rarely above 90F), and moderately rainy. I didn't water any of them after the first couple weeks of planting them and they all did well. Although some of the plants can handle a bit drier conditions than others, all four of these ultimately like soil that is somewhere on the moist spectrum (not bone dry, and not waterlogged).
So, I'm not sure you need to water any of your plants that much (especially if you have mulch). A good drenching once a week should be enough for most established plants. If you water a lot, your plants might not develop deep roots to tap into wetter soil (the soil is usually driest at the surface, and more moist deeper down). Most plants will have root systems that are more or less a mirror image of the above ground portion of the plant in terms of depth and spread. If you dig in your soil, you should find that once you go deeper than 1-2 inches, the soil is moist (it doesn't have to be wet or soaked, moist is usually fine). I'm growing peppers indoors, in large 5 gallon pots, and I only give them one good drenching once a month, and they seem to be fine. The soil is not dry. Granted, being indoors means there's no intense sunlight to dry it up, and no wind (which also dries up soil). But mulch will protect the soil from both the evaporative effect of the sun and of the wind. The mulch can be wood chips, straw, or a variety of other things, as long as it covers the soil to shelter it from the sun and wind.
BTW... although I said most plants aren't going to drink enough to impact the level of soil moisture, large trees like pines and spruces might be an exception to that. But if they're only 4 years old and 1.5 ft high, it won't be an issue. If they get 30ft+ tall then maybe they'll dry the nearby soil somewhat.
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