Thirsty Work
by Su Rickett

Keeping a garden watered does sound pretty simple – right? What is there to do? You connect one end of the hose up to your tap, turn it on and aim the other end around the plants. Why is it then, that watering correctly seems to get a lot of folks and their gardens into … excuse the pun, hot water?

Relying on what Mother Nature throws down is often not an option especially with recently installed plants. Depending on the amount of growth that has already taken place, it has to rain pretty heavily for several days to really get moisture down to the roots of plants. If they are located underneath existing trees it may take quite a while for rain to penetrate through to where it is needed.

When it’s hot and dry plants use up water at a much quicker rate than when it’s cool. Plants that are grown in full sun gobble up moisture faster than those in shady locations. Wind plays its part too, making water evaporate from the soil surface more rapidly than it would during a calm day.

Once your plants have been allowed to dry out they become stressed and nothing is more alluring to disease and pest infestations than a stressed out plant. It is always a good idea to keep an eye open for signs of water need.

  • Curled up leaves are usually one of the first indications of stress.
  • Flowers fade quickly and buds don’t open and/or drop prematurely.
  • Fruit shrivels up and doesn’t ripen.
  • Leaves grow dull. Bright green leaves take on a blue-ish or grey appearance.
  • New growth wilts or droops.
  • Older leaves turn brown, dry up, and fall off.

So what is a gardener to do? The single most important asset in your garden is the soil. If it is enriched with copious amounts of organic matter on a regular basis, it will be able to hold more water and your plants will be able to flourish rather than flounder once the heat hits. This is not to suggest you will not have to water at all, rather what watering you do, will be distributed to the plant more efficiently.

Using a mulch is a great way to conserve moisture. Composted bark, crushed rock or gravel, or grass clippings are just a few of the materials that can be used. Before applying any kind of mulch to your beds, it’s imperative to soak everything thoroughly.  A layer of mulch, 2 to 3 inches deep over the wet soil surface of the garden will help retain the moisture, moderate the soil temperature, suppress weeds and help control soil erosion.

So, what’s the best way to water my garden? When you water, do it efficiently. Try and water in the early morning where possible. Avoid watering in the middle of the day or in strong sunshine when it’s difficult for plants to take on water.

By far the most effective is an in-ground drip irrigation system. It gets the water to where it’s needed – down at the root level and is usually run on a timer to allow you to water early in the morning when water usage by others is at its lowest and evaporation the least. Initially, it is expensive to install but if you have a large garden and like to go away a lot, it is invaluable. It certainly wastes less water too.

Sprinklers can be very effective at delivering lots of water over a period of time. They take careful consideration and need to be selected based on the type of garden you have. The pulsating types that emit a jet of water are quite efficient, providing you are not using them around delicate plants. Be sure to set up your sprinkler up to avoid watering the driveway or sidewalk.

Hand watering is relatively easy if you have a small garden or patio but hauling heavy hoses about is time consuming and not much fun in a large garden. It is also easy to water too shallowly. Test to see if the water has really getting down to the roots of the plant by poking your fingers into the soil, if just the top inch or so is wet, you need to water more. The big advantage that this method has over others is you get to visit with all your plants making it easier to troubleshoot a problem before it gets out of hand.

Soaker hoses are a good option if you are gardening in the shade and have a moisture retentive soil. They ooze water slowly at the base of plants.

Always follow the ‘Right Plant, Right Place’ rules throughout the garden.  When you are putting in new plants it is always a good idea to thoroughly soak them before they go in the ground. Fill a bucket with water and plunge the plant in so the water is over the rim of the pot. Hold it there, if it’s very dry it may just float. Once the bubbles stop coming up, you know your plant is thoroughly wet. Nothing perks a plant up better.

Where there are lots of tall trees competing with your plants for water, make sure you have chosen plants that will cope with less. Where your garden is very dry, water everything once and then return to water again. The second watering will soak into the soil more easily and penetrate deeper.

Whether you have a window box or an acre to water, it is important to be in touch with your plants. Lack of water is deadly to a garden, knowing how to get water to it efficiently will pay off in spades.