They say your garden reflects your personality. And the number one rule in keeping your garden green and luscious is to water your plants regularly. By watering your plants the right way, the health and vitality of your garden is preserved. This shows how much you pay attention to things valuable to you.
Then comes the questions "when, how much, and how often should I water my garden?" The answers may vary depending on the type of soil your garden has, the season, and the type of plants you grow.
Type of soil
Sandy soil holds less water compared to clay-like soil. Sandy soil dries out faster while the latter holds moisture longer. However, these heavy-types of soil are more susceptible to over-watering, so you better watch out. That is the reason why gardeners add the soil with compost. Also, they apply mulch to reduce surface runoff and slow down evaporation from the soil. Mulching protect plant roots from temperature extremes and add organic matter, too.
Horticulturist at Clemson University Robert Polomski said, "If you are thrifty about watering, maintain a 2 to 4-inch layer of mulch at the feet of your vegetables and water only when it is absolutely necessary." When done properly and correctly, watering saves resources and time!
Weather condition
The weather condition is another factor we need to consider when watering our garden plants. On hot and dry days, you will have to water more often. When weather conditions are wet and rainy, little watering is required.
Type of plants
Check on the type of plants you grow and how much water they need and consume. Bigger plants and the newly-planted ones require more water. According to Polomski, vegetables need an inch of water per week which he estimates as roughly to six gallons per square yard per week.
Vegetables, bedding plants, and perennial plants have shallow root systems, thus necessary for frequent watering. For container plants, watering should be done twice or three times a day, daily.
Time of the day
Plants should be watered in the morning. If you do get moisture on the leaves, watering them in the morning gives them time to dry out. It is much more difficult for plant diseases to get on your plants when the foliage is dry. Although some provide water in the late afternoon, as long as you keep the foliage from getting wet, that would be okay. Wetting the it is a waste of water as it promotes spread of diseases on plants.
Your process
Lastly, water deeply and thoroughly. There is no use in watering your plants if the core of the roots remains dry. Water them slowly and allow the plants sip in all the water they can absorb. Do not water too quickly or water too much all at once. Slower watering is more effective than rashly drowning your plants on water. Make sure the water gets deeply to the root zone.
To prevent diseases on plants, sprayers could come handy for watering, spraying herbicides and fertilizers. For large area gardens, ATV sprayers could help in this work. It is important to use to right tool to keep your garden free from bugs and plant diseases.
As you research and familiarize the corners of your garden, you would be able to know your gardening needs and the measures on how to take care of it. By giving attention on proper garden watering, your plants will surely grow healthy, lush, and happy-reflecting your green thumb personality.