Knowing when and how much to water a garden can be a challenge, even for seasoned gardeners. When you first begin a garden, you may seek out expert knowledge on this issue; and you will find many books and websites that offer great advice. However, how will you know what will work for your garden? Several factors besides climate have to be included in the decision process, such as where your garden is located and what type of watering system you have. You also have to consider how much time you have to devote to watering your garden.
I first learned the importance of watering garden plants when I was a child, while working with my father in our family garden. He had his own system of watering, which was to water every other day and only a cup full of water poured at the base of each plant. Not having a garden hose back then, he would carry a five-gallon bucket full of water to the garden’s edge, give each of us kids a coffee cup and we would go to work, giving each plant a drink. I don’t know whether it was my father’s system of watering or the well water he used, but he always seemed to have plants that thrived.
Garden location
My father was fortunate in that his garden was on level ground. Thus when he watered, the water stayed where it was and soaked in around the plants. If you garden is not on flat ground you may find you have to water more often, as the water will run off. In the same since if, your garden tends to hold too much water because of the slope of the land or soil content; you will need to water less often.
My father’s watering system worked well for him, especially with five children to help. However, what if it is just you having to do the watering. Watering each individual plant could take a lot of time that you may not have to spare. Garden hoses and sprinklers have made watering gardens much easier, faster and less strenuous.
Garden hoses and sprinklers
There are hundreds of different types of garden hoses and sprinklers in stores today, so deciding on which one is right for you may be a daunting task. Two important things to keep in mind are when making your purchase check the range of the sprinkler and the way in which it distributes water. You want to make sure it covers your whole garden evenly with water, without you having to move it to accomplish that task. Also, make sure you have a long enough hose to reach your garden. This may sound like a no-brainer, however, many people, although they check the square footage of their garden, neglect measuring the distance from the outside faucet to the garden’s edge or further.
Source: Personal experience
