The cat has been complaining at me this morning. I am watering outside and she can't figure out from where this random wetness is coming. She hates when I am watering and often will come inside while it is going on or meow at me constantly to express her displeasure.
Cats aside, the season of watering has arrived. We have been very fortunate and have not had to water our garden plants very much this year. Usually July and August around here are pretty dry but not the last two years. The extra rain has been nice since we are trying to establish fruit trees and bushes within our landscaping.
How much and when to water has always been a big question for me and everyone seems to have a different answer. After much research and trial and error we have settled upon once a week watering for plants in the ground and twice a week for plants in pots. From everything I read, once established, plants need about one inch of rain weekly and it is better to water all at once than several small waterings. This helps the plants establish deep root systems.
My system for watering is I watch the rainfall totals. If we do not get an inch of rain in the week I will water that week. If there has been a 1/2 inch or less, I will also water but will cut down on the amount of time I have the sprinkler on. Pots get watered every three days unless it has rained. I hand water my potted plants to make sure that they get a deep thorough drink.
To keep track of how long it takes for my plants to get one inch of water with the sprinkler, initially I sit out small containers in different parts of the garden. When they have had one inch of water in them then I knew that I had applied my inch of rain for the week. The amount of time I leave the sprinkler on now is based on these tests. I will water more frequently though if it is really hot. The most reliable method I have found is to stick your finger about one inch deep in the soil. If it is dry then it is time to water.
What methods do you use for watering?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
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