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Irrigation scheduling based on plant daily water use (DWU) to conserve water without adversely affecting plant growth compared with a traditional irrigation rate was investigated for 25 common container-grown woody ornamentals. Ten different taxa were grown in 2006 and 2007 and five in 2008 in 10.2-L (No. 3) containers. Overhead irrigation was applied in four treatments: 1) a control irrigation rate of 19 mm (1.07 L per container) per application (control); 2) irrigation scheduled to replace 100% DWU per application (100DWU); 3) irrigation alternating every other application with 100% replacement of DWU and 75% DWU (100-75); and 4) irrigation scheduled on a three application cycle replacing 100% DWU followed by two applications of 75% DWU (100-75-75). Irrigation applications were separated by at least 24 h. Daily water use was calculated by measuring the difference in volumetric moisture content 1 h and approximately 24 h after irrigation. The three DWU treatments reduced total irrigation applied 6% to 75% compared with the control depending on treatment and species, except for Buddleja davidii ‘Guinevere’ in which total irrigation applied by the 100DWU, 100-75, and 100-75-75 treatments was 26%, 10%, and 5%, respectively, greater than the amount applied to the control. Final growth index [(plant height + width A + width B)/3] of all DWU treatments was greater than or equal to the control for all taxa. Forsythia ×intermedia ‘New Hampshire Gold’, Hydrangea arborescens ‘Dardom’, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Unique’, and Weigela florida ‘Wilma’ had higher water use efficiencies (estimated as the change in growth index per liter of water applied) at lower irrigation treatment volumes with no differences in growth index or growth index increase, indicating that further irrigation reductions may be possible without affecting growth. PourThru electrical conductivity of H. arborescens ‘Dardom’, Spiraea fritschiana ‘Wilma’, and Viburnum ×burkwoodii ‘Chenaultii’ measured in 2007 did not accumulate to damaging levels. Final plant size of all taxa under DWU treatments was the same or greater than the control and substantially less water was applied under DWU treatments except for B. davidii ‘Guinevere’.

Container-grown woody ornamentals were irrigated according to a percentage of daily water use (DWU) or a traditional irrigation rate to evaluate plant growth, irrigation volume, runoff, and nutrient loss from each irrigation treatment. Deutzia gracilis Sieb. and Zucc. ‘Duncan’, Kerria japonica (L.) DC. ‘Albiflora’, Thuja plicata D. Don. ‘Atrovirens’, and Viburnum dentatum L. ‘Ralph Senior’ were grown in 10.2-L (# 3) containers under four overhead irrigation treatments: 1) a control irrigation rate of 19 mm per application (control); 2) irrigation scheduled to replace 100% DWU per application (100DWU); 3) irrigation alternating every other application with 100% replacement of DWU and 75% DWU (100–75); and 4) irrigation scheduled on a three-application cycle with one application of 100% DWU followed by two applications replacing 75% DWU (100–75–75). Applications were separated by at least 24 h. Total irrigation applied for the 100DWU, 100–75, and 100–75–75 treatments was 33%, 41%, and 44% less, respectively, than the total water applied by the control treatment of 123 L per container. Plants grown under the three DWU treatments had a final growth index greater than or equal to plants irrigated by the control treatment depending on species. Daily average runoff volumes from production areas irrigated with 100% and 75% DWU were 66% and 79% lower than average control runoff of 11.4 L·m⁻²·d⁻¹ across all collection days. Quantity of NO₃ ^–-N lost daily across all collection days for the 100% DWU and 75% DWU irrigation volumes averaged 38% and 59% less, respectively, than the control. Daily losses of PO₄ ^3–- P quantities across all collection days under the 100% and 75% DWU volumes were 46% and 74% lower, respectively, compared with the control. Irrigating according to the DWU treatments used in this study reduced irrigation and runoff volumes and NO₃ ^–-N and PO₄ ^3–-P losses compared with a control of 19 mm per application while producing the same size or larger plants.