Healthy Hydration
Watering Your Garden Wisely
Roots & Shoots
May 2007
As summer approaches and the sun rises high into the sky we’re all tempted to water our gardens more often, ensuring our plants don’t suffer from the heat. Despite the compulsion to water frequently we should beware that we only water when we need to. We also need to ensure that we’re using our water wisely, without pouring it on to excess.
The first thing you can do is to water in the coolest part of the day (before 10am) and on non-windy days to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation. This will help your plants absorb more water and save you from the arduous task of unnecessarily hauling water.
Secondly, water directly on the roots. Water will be absorbed much more quickly.
Thirdly, watering about 1 inch per week is a standard rule of thumb. A single weekly soaking is much better than daily sprinklings, because shallow watering encourages the roots to stay in the top 4 inches of soil. Shallow roots make plants more susceptible to water stress and weed competition.
Finally, a layer of mulch—straw, grass clippings, shredded leaves, bark chips—helps keep the soil consistently moist. Organic matter, such as compost, mixed into the soil when you plant helps to hold moisture, too. With these handy tips to help you out you’re now ready to go out and make the most of the water in your garden.
Enjoy!