Irrigating Your Garden

Posted by maureen

July 11, 2007 |

Rainfall alone is often insufficient to supply your garden with all the water it needs to thrive and produce healthy plants. Insufficient water will result in stunted growth. Plants not only dehydrate in dry weather but they starve as well since they absorb nutrients from soil in solution with water. Ironically too much water is also detrimental since waterlogged conditions restrict the flow of oxygen to the roots which suffocate and kill the plant
How Much?
Soil should be watered deeply enough to reach the plant roots. It’s better to water thoroughly once or twice a week, than to water little but often. This is true even under drought conditions. If possible water an hour or two before sunrise, so the water won’t evaporate as quickly.

The most susceptible plants and those at greatest risk from dry conditions are newly planted and shallow-rooted such as bedding plants and vegetables. Container plants and hanging baskets dry out very quickly during hot, sunny weather. Ceramic and terra-cotta pots lose water quicker then plastic ones.
Sandy soils dry out quickly while clay soils retain water. Organic fertilizers like bone meal are a better choice that long term use of inorganic fertilizers which hinder water uptake from the soil.
Watering Equipment.
A inexpensive garden hose when connected to a sprinkler can deliver a relatively large volume of water. Another advantage over the hand held hose is that they work while unattended although they need to be moved systematically to cover the whole of the garden.

Static sprinkler is the simplest type of all and offers the same water distribution as a standard hand-held nozzle up to 35ft.It has a spike for securing into the ground.

Revolving Sprinkler has two or three rotating arms that produce a circular spray of fine water and covers up to 45 ft. Some models have a static vertical spray in the center.

Oscillating sprinklers have a tube or barrel bored with holes that oscillates slowly from side to side. They produce a rectangular spray that covers up to 55×40ft

Impulse sprinklers give an even wider coverage by spraying in one direction only at any one time. The jet rotates through 360 degrees in a series of impulses.

Soaker hoses give a gentle rain effect and can be woven easily though flower or vegetable beds. The flat hose is perforated on the upper surface with thousands of tiny holes

The most effective efficient answer is a permanent in-ground system which can be turned on and off as needed to deliver precisely the right amount of water exactly where it is needed.
Collecting rainwater.
Why not help the environment and save money by collecting rainwater. Rainwater is also softer than most tap water. Collect rainwater by directing the flow from a shed, garage or house gutter via a downspout into a barrel’s top. Always keep the top of the barrel covered.

Happy gardening!

Comments

1 Comment so far

homeschool on July 13, 2007 12:56 pm
One of the things that I am working on is a raised bed behind the house. In that raised bed I am laying pvc pipe with holes strategically placed. I will Run the pipe up to the back of the house and have a connection there. Now..bear with me this is hard to explain without hands or pictures…But..Our laundry room is at the back of the house so I plan on being able to connect the washing machine hose to the pvc and thus watering with our laundry water. I do use organics and enviromentally friendly soap.. The reason that I am using temporary connections is that I also plan to eventually have a rainwater collection system (metal roof, cisterne, the whole thing!) and utilize THAT water as needed as well. At some point I would liek to have all of our sink drains piped to a collection system that could be utilized in the garden. Normally in Texas we need everything we can get, altho this year has eben so damp that my old books mildewed a bit and I haven’t had that happen since the 80’s when I languished in the humidity of Camp Lejeune N.C.!!!
Great post!