Proper watering techniques

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

I receive many calls throughout the growing season to identify problems with plants. The most common “disease” I identify is lack of water. Gardeners are often under the false impression that their garden is moist enough to support the plants in their gardens. Containers and hanging baskets often fall victim too, as they often have to be watered twice a day in the very hot weather. Often over-watering can cause damage in your garden but it is obvious not enough water can be more devastating.
Many of the gardeners under estimate the amount of moisture their garden has after a rain fall or a watering with the hose or sprinkler. While you may think you have applied enough water, it may not be enough moisture to fully saturate the soil. If you don’t believe me do a simple test. Go outside with a pitcher of water, pick a spot on your lawn and pour the water on the spot, pour it all from the jug in one spot. See how quickly the ground is absorbing the water? If the ground was moist, the water would sit up on top of your lawn and slowly seep into the ground after spreading out into a puddle at the surface. During hot and sunny days, if we were experiencing any moisture at the surface of the ground, it would readily evaporate.
How do you combat this situation you ask? Well the best way is with a regular watering regime. And I mean watering not misting with the hose. The worst thing you can do to your garden or lawn is stand for a few minutes and spray the ground with the hose. If the surface of the soil is glossy with moisture that does not mean the rest of the soil is wet. Stick your finger through the top of the soil, I guarantee the soil below is dry. This method of watering does way more harm than good. First of all if you continuously water your lawn and garden this way throughout the season the roots of all of your plants will grow to the surface in order to benefit from the small amount of water you are providing. In the event of hot and dry weather the lawn will turn brown very quickly, as well as the leaves of your plants will turn brown, curl up and eventually fall off. The roots of the plants could be burnt or damaged because they are so close to the surface of the soil. This is not a plant disease but a symptom of drought. It is important to provide your garden with a constant schedule of regular watering for a prolonged period of time. I am not promoting the wasting of water but a wise use of the water you have access to.
To adequately water your garden you need to apply water in a constant manner for at least 30 minutes, longer if the conditions are drier. The best method of this is with a soaker hose system. A soaker hose supplies a steady stream of water, right where you need it, with out losing any to the air like with a sprinkler. In the event that you have large gardens, like me, you may have to water with an oscillating sprinkler. Set the sprinkler to apply a constant supply of water for at least 30 minutes. The time may be less if the ground is not as dry or may need to be longer if the ground is extra dry. This constant but steady supply of water allows the soil to absorb and hold the water at the level that the plants need it. Many communities have water restrictions in place in the summer or you may live in a rural area with only a well. Make the most of the water you have available and use it wisely. I have very large gardens and a very large lawn. I only water my gardens on my designated water day. I monitor the soil moisture and water accordingly to the garden’s needs. I also have two rain barrels of rain water that I use for watering when extra watering is needed with the watering can. I never water my lawn, for two reasons. The first one being that grass has adapted to the fluctuating conditions throughout its growing season. Grass flourishes in moist conditions and in dry conditions has the ability to move into a dormancy stage until the moisture conditions improve. This does not harm your lawn but many people think their grass is dying when they see it turn brown mid-summer. I’ll tell there isn’t much mowing when the lawn has gone dormant. The second reason I do not water my lawn is that my gardens come first and then there just isn’t enough time to water the lawn especially when I feel that it is not necessary.
If you have a small garden or some container gardens you can water with a watering can. Let the water from the can slowly flow out and give it a chance to soak in. Be generous with the water. A good method, is to water once, allow the water to soak in and then give the area another watering. Check below the surface of the soil with your finger to make sure the soil is moist. Remember that to benefit plants, water needs to be at their roots not at the surface of the soil.
Remember the column on mulches? This series indicated how mulching your garden helps to retain soil moisture while also maintaining a cooler soil thus the plants require less moisture. If you haven’t already applied mulch this gardening season it still isn’t too late.
I strongly encourage you to adopt a regular and through water regime for your garden. Make your garden the watering priority and opt out of watering your lawn. By keeping on a regular schedule of constant moisture you will actually use less water in the long run. Hopefully Mother Nature will help out as much as possible but in the event that she refuses, you will still be supplying the watering needs to your garden. Do not assume that your garden is moist just because it rained. Get out and check it, you will be surprised at after what you thought was a big rain, that the ground is still very dry. For a few dollars you can invest in a rain gauge that will measure how much it has really rained you will be shocked at how little moisture it really was. You can also use a rain gauge to monitor how much water your sprinkler is supplying to your garden. Regular moisture will reward you with beautiful and healthy gardens. One last Gardening Guru Tip: invest in a water timer to attach to your outdoor tap. For around $20.00 you can purchase a simple dial timer that will stop the water once the time has run out. There are other more sophisticated models but I just bought a dial last year and was so pleased with it, I bought a second one this year for my second tap. In my book, this has been a very effective tool for managing my watering regime. It helps you monitor how long you set the sprinkler for and the water shuts off when done, so you do not waste.