Watering Your Garden
Too much water or too little water is the most common problem affecting many gardens. New plants and seedlings need moist soil to develop deep roots. Once plants are established, watering should be deeper but less frequent. Underwatering leads to poor growth and plant dieback. Overwatering causes roots to die and leaves to wilt. Often the symptoms of overwatering and underwatering are the same.
Plant roots need oxygen. Good soil condition is important for allowing oxygen to reach the roots. Lack of organic matter and overwatering causes soil to become compacted. Roots then die back and the plant becomes stunted and unproductive.
Water should percolate into the ground. Water running off rather than absorbing into the ground indicates that the soil is hydrophobic. Adding compost on top or into the soil improves soil structure and water absorption.
A common mistake made by many gardeners is to add more water when plants are not growing well. Often the problem is due to other causes such as diseases in the soil. Adding more water may make the problem worse. A careful examination of the soil is important to determine the problem.
Helpful topics on watering:
-
Your goal is to provide water to the roots and to keep the plant leaves and stems as dry as possible. Water is a vector for many diseases such a powdery mildew and other fungi. Water around the drip-line of the plant. For young plants and leafy or root vegetables, it is usually necessary to water the entire plant.
A watering wand is among the best tools to use. It allows you to put the water close to the ground and reduce splashing. Water in a donut shape pattern around the dripline of each plant allowing the water to absorb into the ground. Give the water some time to percolate down then water again until the soil is moist around the root zone. Do not allow the water to form puddles.
A fan spray nozzle is also a good tool. It applies water softly but keeping plants dry is more of a challenge.
The best time to water is early in the day which reduces evaporation and allows plants to dry out in the sun. If it is necessary to water late in the day, try to keep as much water off the plant as possible.
Putting the hose on the ground and flooding the garden will waste water and allow soil borne pathogens such as phytophthora to proliferate. For healthy growth, plants should be at the highest places in your plot, not the lowest.
Drip irrigation system and sprinklers are not allowed to be used in the garden. Hand watering is preferable because it allows you to put water only where it is needed.
-
There are many factors that determine how much water a plant needs such as the weather, soil condition, and the type of plant. Try to keep the moister content somewhere between 40% and 80%, enough so that soil can hold together to form a ball.
To test soil moister level, take a sample of the soil. The best tool is a soil sample probe although a trowel can also be used. About 6” of soil is usually adequate for gardens. Hold the soil sample in your hand and squeeze it. It should hold together with defined finger marks. If it falls apart easily, you may need more water. If it sticks to your hand or water can be squeezed out, your soil is too wet.
Soil moister meters are also useful but it is important to get one that can be calibrated. Set the high level when your soil is completely saturated. It is usually time to water when the probe shows less than half way. Do not leave the probe in the ground.
A quick method is to put a small rod or screwdriver into the ground. It should go in easily and have some material attached to it when you pull it out. If it is difficult to insert the rod into the soil, it is likely too dry. If a lot of material is attached to the rod, it is probably too wet.