How to Water Your Garden

One watering method is using a drip irrigation system. This is an easy and inexpensive way to water your perennials and hedges by delivering water at a slow rate directly to the roots of the plants. Usually, this type of system can be used during imposed water restrictions as well. Using the drip irrigation system in your vegetable garden ensures that your plants are receiving adequate water daily.

When watering a vegetable garden you may want to use a combination of watering methods. Collecting water in a rain barrel for reuse in your garden will not only save you money, but the water is free of the chemicals found in tap water.

You will need to consider the type of soil you have when implementing your watering strategy to maintain healthy, hearty plants. If you have a sandy soil, you should water more often for shorter periods of time. Clay type soils should also be water more often for shorter periods of time, giving the water time to soak into the soil. Most plants need about one inch of water per week for optimum heath. Placing plants that have the same watering requirements together and adding compost to the soil will result in more efficient watering.

Using a timer and watering early in the morning will save you money. Using water hoses and sprinklers alone are less efficient and more labor intensive. Using a watering can and hand watering each individual plant may be labor intensive as well, but it delivers water directly to the individual plant and ensures adequate water is being provided to each one.
Try out a combination of methods, and you will have a healthy and thriving garden.