Watering Wisely

Gardens Need About 1 To 2 Inches of Water Each Week

Then do not water again until the top few inches of soil begin to dry out. Frequent, light watering will encourage shallow rooting that will cause plants to suffer more during drought periods, especially if mulches are not used. On the other hand, too much water, especially in poorly drained soils, can be as damaging to plant growth as too little water; it deprives the roots of oxygen needed to grow. Keep a rain gauge near your garden, then supplement rainfall with irrigation water if needed.

Because annual flowers and most vegetables are replanted every year, they will often have high water needs in order to get established. In addition, vegetables need more water during the development of the edible part of the plant (fruit, pod, head, seed, etc.).

Watering Tips

• Adding organic matter improves any soil's ability to use water more efficiently. Sandy soils hold water better when enriched with organic material, allowing you to irrigate less often. In clay soils, organic matter improves drainage, permitting deeper and faster water penetration.

• Deeply preparing the soil (6 inches or more) promotes rapid plant establishment and reduces the period of high water needs. The deeper the roots penetrate the soil, the greater access to water the plant has.

• Buying plants with well-developed root systems that are vigorous, but not too large for their pots insures faster plant establishment.

• Mulching helps reduce weeds that use up a great deal of water and reduces evaporation of water from the soil. Organic mulch is preferable in most situations as it will contribute organic matter to the soil.