Parashat Vayera: Taking Care of Ornamental Gardens in the Shmita Year

Gardens and Courtyards - Watering - Soil stores water between its particles. During winter when rain falls, water seeps deep into the soil, while summer dew only moistens the upper layer of soil. In a blessed winter with abundant rainfall, moisture can reach depths of 3 meters or more. When hot summer days arrive, water absorbed in the upper layer of soil evaporates, but the moisture in the deep layers remains for many months, sometimes even years.

Trees with long and deep roots will be satisfied throughout summer with rainwater absorbed deep in the soil. In contrast, plants with short roots will not survive the long summer without additional water.

The frequency of plant watering depends on five factors.

A. Type of plant: some plants require abundant water, while others can manage with minimal water.

B. Soil type: some soils retain moisture well and for a long time, while others lose moisture quickly.

C. Geographic location: whether the plant grows in the north, center, or south of the country, in the mountains or valleys, etc.

D. Season: whether it is summer or winter.

E. Weather conditions: hot or pleasant summer, dry or rainy winter.

Grass - Generally, lawns in home courtyards are varieties that don't need any watering during the rainy season. In summer, one should not water more than once a month.

Shrubs - It is usually possible to forgo watering them throughout the year. Of course, in any exceptional case or when any doubt arises, one should consult with an expert, preferably one who is God-fearing.

In cases where watering is permitted, it is preferable to use a sprinkler rather than watering manually.

Floor Washing - When washing floors, one must be careful that water does not flow through drains into the garden. (Some watering violates the prohibition against planting derivatives, and some violates the prohibition against plowing derivatives. How so? If water is spilled where there are plants or seeds, one violates the prohibition against planting derivatives. If the ground is bare without plants, one violates the prohibition against plowing derivatives, as the water improves the soil, and any soil improvement in the Shmita year is prohibited as a plowing derivative if the area is intended for planting).

Pruning- Pruning ornamental shrubs is done for four purposes:

A. To accelerate the growth of the shrub or to make it fuller; pruning for this purpose is forbidden during Shmita.

B. Maintaining green, full, and low growth. Pruning for this purpose is also forbidden during Shmita.

C. Pruning to preserve the beauty of the plant, without which the plant would suffer irreparable damage; such pruning is permitted during Shmita, but it is preferable to have it done by a non-professional gardener.

D. Pruning branches that obstruct passage; pruning for this purpose is permitted, but it is preferable to trim the obstructing branches in a way that makes it clear that the purpose is only to clear pathways. It is preferable that such pruning be done by diagonal cutting of the branch.

Thorny Shrubs - For cutting thorns that might damage fruit, consult a rabbi.

Weeding - Weeding is permitted only under the following conditions:

A. If there is concern that a tangle of weeds will become a hiding place for snakes and scorpions.

B. If wild weeds will kill young seedlings that were planted before the Shmita year.

C. If they interfere with pathways. In all these cases, it is permitted to cut the weeds but not to uproot them. The best approach is to spray before the growth of wild weeds, with a spray that prevents the growth of weeds.