Do I continue to water after all of the rain?

and the answer is….YES!  With all the rain it may seem like watering is wasteful and unnecessary.  Yet, when the sun shines and the wind blows – plants, especially new plantings, dry out quickly.  The rule of thumb:  new plants should be watered twice weekly under normal summer conditions.  Evergreen plants typically require lesser amounts of water while large, flat leaf, deciduous plants require more.  In rainy conditions we often expect plants to have a greater water supply than they really do.  Remember that plants draw a water reserve from the 3, 5, 7, or sometimes 15  gallon container root ball they were grown in.  When the supply of water is consumed, the plant will begin to wilt regardless of how much available moisture is sitting beyond that root ball.   Consequently, new plants still require watering during rainy periods for maximum health and growth.  Established plants have roots that extend far beyond their original growing container,  therefore, supplementary water is not as critical.  Keep in mind that when plants are heavily mulched, it takes a lot of rain (more than an inch) to penetrate the surface and hydrate the root system.  The first signs of wilting appear in the form of soft, silvery, floppy leaves on the new growth.  Watching for this is helpful during the summer months.  Evergreens will not show this.    Hopefully this will help you  understand which plants need water and why shrubs and trees need supplemental watering, even during rainy periods.