How to Water Your Garden

Watering is more than just pouring water on to your plants and hoping that they survive. There is a proper way to do it. Apart from watering the plants regularly, you should also do so in the correct quantities. You also have to know that type of water delivery system is right for you, your plants, the type of garden you have, and for your budget.

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Watering 101

In general, vegetable plants require around an inch of water a week. How much or how little you water, however, greatly depends on the conditions that you have to work with. Adjust how much you water depending on how much sunlight or rainfall you get during the week.

The soil type found in your garden can affect the way water drains. Clay soil holds water well but prevents drainage. Sandy soil is loose and does not hold on to water well. Silt is a mixture of the two, but does not hold as much nutrients. If you’ve used any of the soil mixes described in Chapter 4, or applied the composting and organic matter techniques in Chapter 5, you won’t have to worry about water retention too much.

The best time to water is in the early morning before it gets too hot, around the time that dew has dried off. This is the ideal time because the plants have enough time to absorb the water and any excess will evaporate during the remainder of the day. Watering when it is too hot will cause the water to evaporate too fast. Watering in the afternoon or at night will cause the water to stay on the foliage longer and may result in rot.

Determining the exact watering needs of your garden may be difficult. Too much water can rot the roots of the plants, but watering too little can do more damage to your plants than not watering at all. A light sprinkling, as opposed to a good soaking, can stimulate the roots to grow to the surface and die once they are exposed to sunlight. Your plants will fare better if you water deeply and infrequently.

Water your plants using water at room temperature. Water that is too cold or too hot can affect absorption and may even damage the root system.

It’s also important to note that different plants have different watering demands. Here is a list of plants according to the amount of water that they need:

Light: Cardoon, Fennel, Garlic, Cherry Tomatoes, Lemon Balm, Parsley, Spring Onions, Leeks
Moderate: Beans, Carrots, Chick Pea, Chicory , Cress, Eggplant, Endive, Horseradish
Heavy: Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chard, Chayote, Collard, Corn, Cucumber, Dandelion

The way you water your plants is crucial. Do not practice overhead watering with a hose or a can. Externally, it may seem like its working well, but in truth, overhead watering just wastes water and bounces water away from the plant. In addition, wet leaves encourage the development of diseases. Instead, you should water your plants where they need it the most – the soil.

Ways of Watering

There are several ways to water a vegetable garden. The delivery system you choose would depend on factors such as the size of your garden, the amount of watering you will have to do, and your budget.

Hand Watering

A watering can with a removable rose attachment is preferred over one that has a fixed rose. Watering with the rose on distributes the water and lightly sprinkles it on the plants. It may be used to pat down the soil after planting seeds and to water seedlings.

The rose, however, should not be used to water grown plants from the top. It is much better if the water flow is directed to the soil and not to the leaves. If the can comes with a detachable rose, you may remove it in order to give you better access in between plants. A pail may also be used in hand watering a garden.

Hand watering is ideal for smaller gardens. Its main disadvantage is that it can be time consuming and exhausting. Some gardeners, such as myself, find hand watering to be a calming activity. It is also perhaps the cheapest method of water delivery because the elements used are affordable and, most of the time, already owned by the gardener.

Hose

Using a hose is ideal for a moderately sized garden. It may also be used for bigger gardens provided that the hose can access all areas. It, however, may not be the best choice when it comes to bigger gardens because it can be time consuming.

When watering with a hose, it is important to control the water pressure. If the jet is too strong, the water can erode the soil and expose the roots. A strong jet is also detrimental if directed at the body of the plant because it could result in breakage, bruising, and irreversible damage to the fruit.

A sprinkler attachment can greatly reduce the water pressure and it help prevent soil erosion. If a sprinkler attachment is not available, you can instead tie a piece of rag or old sock over the opening. This will help reduce the water pressure and protect the roots from exposure.

As with hand watering, it is much better for the plants if the water flow is directed to the soil and mot the plant itself. This can be tricky when using a hose, especially if the vegetables are planted in tight rows. To remedy this, you can dig trenches in between the rows and direct the water flow there.

Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is considered to one of the best water delivery systems in gardening and agriculture. The water flow is controlled and as a result fertilizer and mineral loss is minimal. The root system remains undisturbed and soil moisture is easily maintained at the desired levels. In addition, drip irrigation keeps the leaves dry by directing the water flow. This reduces the plant’s risk of developing diseases. Drip irrigation also requires the least amount of daily labor and is ideal for bigger gardens and irregularly shaped fields.

The main disadvantage of this water delivery system is the cost. Set up and maintenance can be very expensive. In addition, this may not be an ideal watering method during germination because the amount of water supplied may not be enough. Also, some pesticides and fertilizers that require water sprinkling to activate may not work with a drip irrigation system.

Sprinkler Systems

Sprinkler systems are generally better suited for lawns and not for vegetable propagation. They waste water by indiscriminately spraying an area. Water is also sprayed into the air where it evaporates a certain degree before reaching the plants.

Sprinkler systems also tend to very expensive and can be time-consuming to install. But perhaps the biggest disadvantage of using sprinklers is that it wets only the leaves. In addition, the water is not getting to the root system, which is where plants need the most.