To properly maintain one’s plants, they need to be watered regularly and according to their needs. That’s why we chose to give you some tips below in order to help you in this task. Even if this is somehow the ABC of gardening, you better have a good background knowledge before embarking on more complex operations. Here is an outline to follow and the most effective methods to get good results in terms of watering.

Water is essential to good plant growth. Hoeing and mulching are effective ways to keep humidity around the plants and rain water can also help fertilize the ground. Here’s what to consider to water your plants well.

Our advice regarding watering

Contrary to what most people think, it is better to water infrequently and abundantly than to do so regularly (ex. every day) but in small quantities. Indeed, this allows the roots to be stronger and penetrate deeper. Thus, the plant will be healthier and more robust. Then, to prevent the onset of different diseases on the surface avoid watering the leaves as much as possible. Instead, directly water the plant’s base so that water seeps to the roots. Regarding the amount of water to be used, one must take into account the properties and watering needs that differ according to each plant. Thus, even before sowing or planting, remember to put the plants that have roughly the same water needs in the same place. To give you an idea, leafy vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce or spinach need a lot more water than root vegetables like carrots, radishes or turnips. Beyond that, watering may also depend on soil type. For sandy soils, it must be done more frequently (every other day for example), while watering clay soils once a week may be enough. The ideal watering time varies depending on the season. In summer it is better to water at night because during the day the water can evaporate from the heat , while in autumn and spring it can be carried out in the morning. A little tip to prevent water evaporation: set up a layer of straw, that has a minimum thickness of 2 inches (5 cm), around the plant or use pine bark, grass clippings, cartons or newspapers for mulching. Let us now consider the different watering methods with their advantages and disadvantages.

Manual watering

Since gardening is a manual task, manual watering should not cause problems either, especially since it does not involve working with difficult and expensive facilities. To do this, there are two classic tools: the watering can, which can not only save you money but also lots of water, and the hose that gives you the same benefits as a watering can, but can also save you time and energy by sparing you the back and forth trips to the pump. Ideal for a small garden, these two methods will help you take care of each plant individually and avoid clumsy gestures such as watering the leaves. But if you have a large enough plot of land and you are a rather pragmatic technology enthusiast, you can choose automated watering.

Automated watering

Although this method is more expensive, this system has the advantage of making your life easier. Simply install the system and program it according to the climate and the desired watering schedule and you can go about your business. Two choices are available: watering with a sprinkler system or watering through drip irrigation. The second system has the advantage of just moistening the soil instead of watering the whole plant (leaves included), but it is still more expensive than the first.

Related posts:

  1. Garden tools and accessories

Published in Watering by Alexander on 06 Jul 2011