Let's Grow Stuff

Greetings from the garden! My name is Ben and today we're gonna look at when and how to water your garden and look at some water-saving tips. So, let's jump into the garden and we'll get started. Our goal as gardeners is to moderate soil moisture as much as we can. We don't want it to fluctuate too rapidly because our plants won't appreciate being too wet or too dry too often. But before we look at when and how to water, let's look at a few water-saving tips. First, adding and mixing compost into your soil will help it retain more water, in addition to providing a boost of nutrients. The best time to add compost is in spring before planting or in fall as you're putting your garden to bed for the winter. Second, adding mulch like straw or chopped leaves will help insulate your soil and prevent it from drying out as quickly during the summer.

An added bonus

mulching also helps keep weeds down. Third, you can install a rain barrel to capture and reuse rainwater or consider using a soaker hose, which uses less water and applies it right to the plant's roots. Almost nothing is lost to evaporation. How do we know when we need to water? Well, you'll want to start by making a habit of observing your soil, especially the top 1 to 2 inches. Think of your soil like a crust of bread. The outer layer may be dry but right inside may be moist. To more accurately observe your soil's moisture using your finger, make a narrow trench about 2 inches deep. If the soil is lighter colored or dusty below 2 inches, it's time to water. If the soil is darker colored, moist, and not dusty, then you can hold off for another day or two. So, let's imagine our soil is dry. How much water should we add? There are different ways to water and ideally, we want to provide the equivalent of 1 inch of rain directly to the soil. Simply getting the leaves wet won't cut it. First, before you break out the hose or watering can, check the forecast. If rain is predicted within the next 24 hours, consider waiting and Mother Nature may do the work for you. However, if your plants are already wilting and the chance of rain is below 50%, it's better to be safe than sorry and add water as soon as you can. Second, avoid watering during the hottest part of the day if you can. Water can act like a magnifying glass and actually intensifies hot summer sun and can harm your plants. You'll also lose more water to evaporation during the afternoon. Watering in the morning or evening are your best options. If you're growing in a container, the same 1-inch rule still applies because containers can dry out more quickly than when you're growing in the ground. It's a good idea to add water to your container until there's about 1 inch of standing water on top of the soil. Wait 3 to 5 minutes for it to soak in and then water again. This will help to ensure your container is thoroughly and evenly moist. Well, sprinklers are one option for watering our garden but remember your water bill also and that no two sprinklers are the same. We don't wanna waste water if we can help it. Remember, our goal is 1 inch of rainfall each time we water. An easy way to test this is to set an open and clean tuna can or something similar out in your garden. Pay attention to how long it takes to fill up the first time you use a sprinkler. You don't need to buy a rain gauge for this experiment. Well, there you have it. Now, you know the basics for keeping your garden watered and happy, and following these tips will help your garden thrive. Thanks for joining me and we'll see you in the garden next time.