Use Water wisely for a beautiful Garden
If you want a beautiful garden, you need to water it.
Plants need water. There I said it. Without adequate water they will get sick and die. Not giving them enough is also detrimental to their health. That doesn't mean they need to be watered everyday, if you have the right techniques and a few tips up your sleeve. Here are the basics.
Why Water?
Crops are more plentiful, healthier and tastier when they have adequate water.
Insects love weak plants as they emit a stress hormone that attract bugs. It’s the way nature culls the herd, so to speak.
Other problems associated with lack of water are disease, especially powdery mildew. Flowers are fewer, smaller and drop off prematurely. Taste and nutritious are compromised too, hence bland tasting veggies, especially tomatoes.
Other problems associated with lack of water are disease, especially powdery mildew. Flowers are fewer, smaller and drop off prematurely. Taste and nutritious are compromised too, hence bland tasting veggies, especially tomatoes.
Tomatoes need a steady supply of water to be their best.
Reduce Watering Frequency
Nature protects the ground with a mulch - a layer of leaves every fall.
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Organic mulches retains moisture within the soil and reduces evaporation, which reduces the need to water.
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Mulch: To protect the soil from evaporation and to retain soil moisture lay 3 inches of an organic mulch on top of the soil and around plants. There’ll be fewer weeds too. Click on Mulch for more.
Living Mulches: If you are not keen on mulches, cover the ground with a short plant that grows along the ground; a groundcover. Japanese spurge is a low deep green evergreen that’s perfect for shady gardens, while creeping phlox is floriferous colourful mat ideal for hot, sunny sites. Click on Living Mulches for more options.
Soaker Hoses & Drip Systems: Don’t rely on soaker hoses and drip irrigation to keep soil and roots moist; use them as a supplemental source. Generally it takes up 90 minutes to emit an inch of water. It's a good idea to see how far and how deep the water has spread. If it isn’t going down to the roots, then hand-water or put on the sprinkler, then check the soil again. A layer of mulch is imperative to increase soil moisture retention.
Living Mulches: If you are not keen on mulches, cover the ground with a short plant that grows along the ground; a groundcover. Japanese spurge is a low deep green evergreen that’s perfect for shady gardens, while creeping phlox is floriferous colourful mat ideal for hot, sunny sites. Click on Living Mulches for more options.
Soaker Hoses & Drip Systems: Don’t rely on soaker hoses and drip irrigation to keep soil and roots moist; use them as a supplemental source. Generally it takes up 90 minutes to emit an inch of water. It's a good idea to see how far and how deep the water has spread. If it isn’t going down to the roots, then hand-water or put on the sprinkler, then check the soil again. A layer of mulch is imperative to increase soil moisture retention.
Living mulches shade and protect the soil, which lessens water loss through evaporation.
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Japanese spurge is a well-behaved evergreen ground cover for shady locations.
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When to Water
Time of Day: It’s best to water in the morning for a number of reasons. Plants get a belly full to last them through the day – that’s important in the heat of the day. Watering in the evening encourages diseases as the wetness on the foliage is the perfect place for spores to land. Oh, and slugs and snails love to feast on the wet foliage at night.
Wilting: Water thirsty plants immediately, even if it’s at night as a wilting plant means it is struggling to survive.
Flowering Plants: Water plants when they are coming into bloom and don’t let the soil dry out while plants are in flower.
Planting &Transplanting: Hand water newly planted plants; don't rely on drip irrigation, soaker hoses or automatic irrigation systems. Nothing replaces hand watering.
Wilting: Water thirsty plants immediately, even if it’s at night as a wilting plant means it is struggling to survive.
Flowering Plants: Water plants when they are coming into bloom and don’t let the soil dry out while plants are in flower.
Planting &Transplanting: Hand water newly planted plants; don't rely on drip irrigation, soaker hoses or automatic irrigation systems. Nothing replaces hand watering.
Water wilted plants immediately, no matter what time of day it is.
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Make sure plants that are in flower like this Buff Beauty hybrid musk rose, have adequate water.
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How to Water
Hand water newly planted plants and ones that are wilting.
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Drip irrigation only provides water to individual plants.
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Soil Needs Water: There are many lifeforms within the soil and without water they will go dormant and eventually may die. To keep earthworms and other soil dwellers active and alive, don’t allow the soil to dry out completely.
Encourage Long Roots: Water deeply to encourage long roots once or twice a week. Watering just for a few minutes a day is unwise as it encourages shallow rooting and weak plants.
Water the Soil, Not the just the Plant: A light spray on top of the plant doesn’t do much. It’s their roots that need to water, so that is where it should go. Saturate the entire area, so the water spread out past the plant’s canopy.
Thorough Coverage: Thoroughly wet all the soil. Any dry spots will suck the water away from the surrounding wet soil.
Hand Water Gently: Prevent dislodged roots, smashed plants, broken stems and erosion of soil.
Puddling: When watering by hand, allow the water to puddle a few times.
Dry Soil Repels Water: To prevent run-off, apply water gently so it puddles, then wait until it soaks in. Water numerous times until the soil is wet.
Avoid Spot Watering: Water the soil, not the plant. Try to keep water off the foliage to prevent diseases and fungi.
Encourage Long Roots: Water deeply to encourage long roots once or twice a week. Watering just for a few minutes a day is unwise as it encourages shallow rooting and weak plants.
Water the Soil, Not the just the Plant: A light spray on top of the plant doesn’t do much. It’s their roots that need to water, so that is where it should go. Saturate the entire area, so the water spread out past the plant’s canopy.
Thorough Coverage: Thoroughly wet all the soil. Any dry spots will suck the water away from the surrounding wet soil.
Hand Water Gently: Prevent dislodged roots, smashed plants, broken stems and erosion of soil.
Puddling: When watering by hand, allow the water to puddle a few times.
Dry Soil Repels Water: To prevent run-off, apply water gently so it puddles, then wait until it soaks in. Water numerous times until the soil is wet.
Avoid Spot Watering: Water the soil, not the plant. Try to keep water off the foliage to prevent diseases and fungi.
Slopes are tricky to water as the water runs off.
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The leaves of this stewartia tree are showing typical signs of drought stress.
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Watering on a slope? Tricky stuff. Water runs off sloped land and erodes the soil in the process. The steeper the grade the drier the soil. To water, set up the sprinkler so it has a gentle flow for 20 to 30 minutes. Wait for 20 minutes for it to soak in, then put it on again for another 20 minutes. Repeat the process until the ground is thoroughly wetting to at least an inch.
Wilting? If plants are don't pick up after they have been watered, maybe you didn't give them enough. Dig down and have a look and a feel.
Droopy Plants? Excess water explodes plant cells making them wilt so check the soil before adding more water. Improve drainage where necessary. Potted plants should have pots with drainage holes that are not covered with rocks or clay shards, which prevents drainage, contrary to popular belief.
Wilting? If plants are don't pick up after they have been watered, maybe you didn't give them enough. Dig down and have a look and a feel.
Droopy Plants? Excess water explodes plant cells making them wilt so check the soil before adding more water. Improve drainage where necessary. Potted plants should have pots with drainage holes that are not covered with rocks or clay shards, which prevents drainage, contrary to popular belief.
Making it Easier
Sprinklers are attached to hoses that are connected to a timer located at the faucets.
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Sprinklers to a fine job watering the garden beds and lawn.
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This irrigation timer has 3 zones and one free one for hand watering when needed.
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Take the pressure off watering by installing controllers on your outdoor faucets. Just attach a garden hose with a sprinkler on the end set the programmable timer. Easy to use timers are found in hardware stores where garden products are sold. The ones pictured were purchased at Canadian Tire.
Summertime
Don't forget to water in the summer.
Plants have a tough time in summer, especially when they are forgotten and abandoned. Because of the heat and long daylight hours, plants work overtime so they need to be watered, plain and simple. This includes trees, shrubs, perennials, bedding plants, herbs and veggies. Even with watering restrictions, garden plants are allowed to be watered, so check with your municipality for exemptions and for more information.
Drought Gardening
A lavender farm in the Okanagan uses little water because it is well managed.
DROUGHT GARDENING
Did you know that you can reduce your watering with a few proven techniques? There are ways to staunch the effects of drought and it’s not about growing in rock mulch and drip irrigation. To learn effective methods of drought gardening click here.
Did you know that you can reduce your watering with a few proven techniques? There are ways to staunch the effects of drought and it’s not about growing in rock mulch and drip irrigation. To learn effective methods of drought gardening click here.