Most people over water their garden. The impact of this did not hit me fully until I saw a science project last year that showed the impact to a cucumber that was watered at various frequencies. The garden that had been over watered produced a terrible bitter small cucumber where as the dry garden actually did better than the over wet garden. The key point is the frequency of how often you irrigate or water you garden is a key variable that must not be over looked. Below are some basic guidelines that are offered by Home and Garden Television on proper watering techniques. I hope that these are as much value to you as they were to me. Happy watering.
Garden Watering Tips:
1.- Don't water or sprinkle until plants need it. Far more plants die as a result of over watering than under watering. When do plants need water? Let your finger be your guide. Dig down a couple inches near the base of the plants, and if the garden soil is bone dry, water or sprinkle. In addition, when a plant begins to show signs of wilt, especially in the morning, it probably needs water.
2.- Water or sprinkle early in the morning, when temperatures are mild and winds are calm. Less water will be lost through evaporation.
3.- Deep soak each time you water or sprinkle.
4.- Don't water or sprinkle if rain is in the forecast.
5.- Check hose connections for leaks, and repair them quickly.
6.- Adjust sprinklers so the water or sprinkle is aimed directly at plants rather than sidewalks, paths, driveways or fences. Use sprinklers that emit large droplets to reduce losses due to evaporation.
7.- Stop water or sprinkling whenever runoff occurs, especially on slopes. That may mean turning the water or sprinkle on and off in cycles to allow moisture to soak into the ground, but it's better than having the water or sprinkle flow down the street.
8.- Grow drought-tolerant plants. A number of beautiful plants, both native and non-native, can survive with less than an inch of water or sprinkle a week once they're established.
9.- Place water or sprinkle-loving plants in areas that receive shade in the afternoon. Even sun-loving plants will be fine provided they receive morning to midday light.
10.- Create windbreaks around vegetable gardens to shelter plants and prevent drying.
11.- Add hydrogels to plants that dry out quickly, whether in the garden or in containers. These water or sprinkle-absorbing polymer crystals swell to several times their original size and slowly release water or sprinkle into the surrounding garden soil.
12.- Install a moisture sensor on automatic sprinkler systems. This is a probe placed in the ground that determines when the garden soil needs water or sprinkle and turns on the sprinkler. This is probably one of the smartest water or sprinkle-saving devices ever invented.
13.- Capture and recycle rainwater or sprinkle by placing barrels or buckets beneath your downspouts. Go one step further and modify your plumbing, assuming local codes allow, to divert gray water or sprinkle--that is, drain water or sprinkle from indoor sources other than the toilet. Use it to water or sprinkle your lawn and landscape plants.
14.- Install drip-irrigation systems and soaker hoses in flower and vegetable gardens, around trees and shrubs, even in containers.
15.- Mulch like crazy to slow the evaporation of moisture from the garden soil and keep the garden soil cool. Try to use organic mulches, which slowly break down and add organic matter to the garden soil.
16.- Keep weeds out of flower and vegetable gardens. Weeds are notorious for stealing water or sprinkle from other plants, so if you keep their populations in check, you won't have to water or sprinkle as often.
17.- Use water or sprinkling cans for just a few patio plants. Water or sprinkling with a hose may put more water or sprinkle on the patio than in the containers as you move from plant to plan.
