Water & Watering
What's the big deal about watering? Just pour it on
right?..........wrong!
People can and do water in just about as many ways a you
can imagine. How and when you get water to your plant is an important
topic. It certainly can be done wrong or in a less than ideal way.
In your quest for the perfect garden, understanding and applying the
right techniques will bear fruit...or flowers or vegetables,
or...........
The key issues on watering are:
Why bother to read and learn about proper watering
techniques? There are two big reasons. First, water applied at the wrong
time can promote the growth of plant diseases. Second, the amount of
water getting to the plant on a constant basis affects growth in a
number of ways. In addition, your watering efforts can be wasted or
inefficient, and that has an affect on your wallet.
I bet you never thought a simple subject like water
could be the source of so much information and learning, did
you?
Frequency:
Just how frequently do you and should you water your
garden. The answer to this question varies from plant to plant. A cactus
in the desert needs to take a drink of water once a month or less. A
water lily or rice grows in water. These are obviously examples at the
extreme end of the spectrum. Most plants fall pretty close to the
middle.
The frequency of watering is also a function of the type
of soil you have. Heavy clay soils have difficulty absorbing water. But,
once it does, it retains it. So a good watering of clay soil will last
several days, even in hot, dry weather. Sandy soils on the other hand,
do not retain water. It flows right through as their is little to hold
it. Watering every couple days during hot or dry spells is sometimes
required.
With this in mind, you should adjust your watering to
provide moist soil conditions on a regular, consistent basis. Not wet
and soggy, and not dry. ANd, definitely, not dry one week and set the
next. Water lightly and frequently for sandy soils, and less frequently
for clay soils. Don't water every day. Daily watering result sin shallow
roots. Your plant will learn to depend on this water and will only
develop shallow roots. Then you will be a slave to your garden (if you
are not already) and you will be afraid to leave for mare than a day on
vacation. Daly watering will also affect your pocketbook. Water you add
is not free, water naturally in the soil is.
Tip: Allow the top of the soil to dry between
watering. This is important as plant diseases may harbor in the soil and
tend to concentrate in the top layer. Drying the soil out between
watering, especially during humid weather, will help to keep these
problems down.
Amount:
Generally, plants like to have moist, but not wet soil
conditions. This enables the water to break down chemical and mineral
components in the soil in small enough size to be absorbed through the
root system of the plant. Check the soil below the surface. Turn it over
with a spade and see if it just dry on top, or if your watering
technique is only reaching down a few inches.
If you know about your water table levels, make sure the
soil is moist down to the water table.You also want to encourage your
roots to develop deeply and tap into water available at lower levels.
As a rule of thumb, apply one inch per week. This
includes rainwater and the water you add. Adjust it accordingly if your
plant needs more or less.
Over watering results in washing valuable nutrient sand
minerals from the soil. You can spend a lot of money on fertilizer
and then wash it quickly through the soil with little benefit to the
plant. This is especially true with liquid fertilizers. So be careful to
give the right amount, but not too much.
Timing:
A lot of gardeners do not know that there is a
"When to" and "When not to" water your plants. We
strongly urge you not to water in early evening or at night. Plant
diseases thrive in hot, humid weather. They also prefer the darkness of
night. These three combined are a perfect breeding ground. We strongly
recommend you avoid watering at night s you will only help create
the perfect conditions for disease.
Early morning is best as the leaves will dry in the
early morning sun, yet evaporation will be lower. Mid-day is also fine,
but evaporation can be high.
Other:
Many people have asked about the quality of water as it
might affect your plant. The minerals, chemicals (good and bad), and
even pollutants in water can be absorbed by your plant. So if the water
contains pollutants, your plant can absorb some portion of it. If it is
a chemical harmful for plant growth, then the plant will suffer. Too
high a concentration and it can die. Recognizing that the plant can
absorb chemicals from the water, those same chemicals make its' way to
the fruit and vegetables you and your family ultimately eat.
The focus of this issue usually comes into question when
a gardener is considering using water from a creek, pond or river. If
you are unsure of the water quality, have it tested or look for
alternatives. Small creeks and ponds in residential or commercial
areas are of the greatest concern as they are less able to dilute
pollutants. Insecticides, weed killers, fungicides, and manufacturing
waste all can leach into small creeks and streams. Individuals have
also been know to discard a variety of waste products and chemicals
despite laws and awareness of the environmental impact. Municipal
water which most of us use is certainly safe. Well water from your well
should be too..assuming you test it regularly for your own consumption.
The high concentration of chlorine in your pool
water can have adverse affect on your plants in large doses. We do not
recommend you use the water when backflushing, especially for fruit and
vegetable plants.
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