Hello, pennzies. A newly planted camellia will be sensitive to watering issues on its first few summers and more so in our hot summers. Try the finger method for 2-3 weeks.

At about the same time each day, insert a finger into the soil and give it 1 gallon of water if the finger feels dry or almost dry. Do not "count the mulch" when inserting the finger into the soil. Anytime you water, make a note in a wall calendar saying that you had to water 1 gallon of water. After 2-3 weeks of doing this daily at about the same time of day, review the information on your wall calendar. Try to average out the information so you can determine about how often you had to water. For example, you were watering every 2/3/4/5/etc days. Then set the sprinkler or drip irrigation to water 1 gallon on the same frequency (every 2/3/4/5/etc days).

If the weather changes (temps go up/down 10 degrees and stay there), consider doing the 2-3 weeks finger test again.

History bits from my experience down here... You will notice in our Spring that you will be watering at a certain rate but then, in May, you will need to adjust waterings (either add more water or water more often) as May is the start of Summer here. Make sure the plant is ready and has 2-4" of mulch past the drip line. Make sure the plant gets shade by 11am or 12pm. Make sure the area where it is planted is not windy as wind can dry them out during the summer. By the time we hit the 100s, you should be watering more often than now and more than 1 gallon per watering. In September, once we drop down from the daily 100s, consider watering less frequently or watering less amt per each watering. In Spring, they may be able to do fine with waterings once a week or twice... depends on whether it rains and how much it rains.

The finger method can help you determine all this. A soil moisture meter can also help.

Do not stop watering completely in the winter months if winter is dry. I almost lost a camellia once when I turned off the sprinkler due to cold temps; then I forgot to restart the sprinkler just as winter turned dry and mild. It was hard to water then as I was trying to water once a week or once every two weeks. Then the thought of watering went "puff" and I forgot about watering. Woooops! After a month or more of that, I noticed the plant drying out.

You can hand water if the plant needs 'something extra' while the other plants being watered by the sprinkler are doing just fine.

Luis