When it doesn't rain enough, turn on the spigot. Veggies need water to produce, so watering the garden correctly is crucial in the hot summer. Tomatoes are especially unforgiving if they dry out. Going from dry to wet and back again creates problems like blossom end rot. And that's not all. Have you seen cracks in the fruit? This happens when water follows a drought, causing the fruit to expand suddenly and split the skin. The way to avoid this is to keep the soil consistently moist. Don't let it go dry and wet and dry and wet and dry and wet. It's a spoiler.Get even more tips to keep your garden hydrated all season long.
During really hot weather, water your vegetables at least two to three times a week
Watering the garden deeply is critical. The water must go down, down, down to encourage deep roots and get away from the hot soil surface. Put a little cup or can in the garden soil and don't stop watering until it has collected at least an inch of water from the hand-held hose or sprinkler. (If your veggies are in containers, they'll probably need water every day or so during the heat because containers tend to dry out faster than the ground.) If you're using drip irrigation or a soaker hose, put the cup underneath it. It won't be quite as accurate, but it's better than nothing. To hand-water containers or a small garden plot, use a nozzle turned to the "shower" setting for gentle, rain-like watering. If water puddles on the surface at first, move on, but come back several times to be sure the water is soaking in and the soil is thoroughly moist.
Watch your garden for an "indicator" plant
An indicator plant is the first plant to wilt as the garden becomes dry. You'll always know to water when that particular plant has droopy leaves. The first is usually a squash, cucumber, or melon because the big leaves lose lots of moisture fast. Of course, it's better to water consistently so that this "indication" never happens, but it's not a perfect world and even the best of gardeners gets caught by wilting plants. Know too that in very hot, dry, and sunny weather, the big-leafed plants will wilt a little in mid-day no matter what, but they should recover quickly in the evening.
Of course, if you use a sprinkler, it is impossible not to wet the leaves when watering the garden, so in that case, water early in the morning so that the foliage will dry early and quickly to minimize disease risk. You can put the sprinkler on a timer so that it comes on just before daybreak, when the leaves may already be wet with dew. The gardening principle here is to avoid adding to the length of time that the leaves stay wet because many diseases need moisture to thrive.
Do what you can to keep water in the ground.
An organic mulch such as wheat straw, finely ground bark, pine needles, or chopped-up leaves spread on the ground around and under plants is a welcome barrier between the moist soil and the hot sun. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch makes a huge difference in hot weather, acting as a shade cloth to hold in moisture and cool plant roots. Without mulch, the intense sun bakes the soil — and you end up watering the garden even more.
Watch the video below for more tips to keep your garden hydrated all season long.
During really hot weather, water your vegetables at least two to three times a week. Watering the garden deeply is critical. The water must go down, down, down to encourage deep roots and get away from the hot soil surface.
Water your plants in the morning as early as possible. This allows the soil and your plants to absorb more water because in the heat of the day there is more evaporation occurring at the soil surface. Drip irrigation is ideal because it deposits water directly at the soil surface and can be targeted.
You should check the moisture level around the base of your plants. Determine the watering schedule you need to keep in order to maintain the right level of moisture. Watering every day or every two days doesn't matter nearly as much as consistent watering. Make a schedule and stick to it.
Often this means watering for 30-60 minutes at a time, 2-3 times each week, until plants are established. When temperatures normalize, continue with deep watering, but back off to 1-2 times each week.
Tomatoes growing in pots have high water needs. The relatively small soil volume in the container limits the amount of water available to plants. During the heat of summer, container-grown tomatoes often need to be watered daily. Hot, windy conditions might require twice daily watering.
General tips. Avoid applying fertilizers when plants are dormant or under heat and drought stress. Fertilizers should be incorporated into the soil to prevent losses. If you cannot physically incorporate a fertilizer at this point in the season, it may be best to stick with a water-soluble fertilizer.
How Often Should You Water a Vegetable Garden? There is a tendency for gardeners to water a little each day. This is much less efficient than watering two to three times each week. Watering deeper on a less-frequent schedule will give the water time to seep into the ground.
If your plant is stressed, check the soil to make sure it is dry and then water deeply. If soil is moist, more water will not help. Most plants shut down during extreme heat, so if it is over 100 degrees, it may be best to wait to water even if your plant is stressed.
Water the plants with a gentle stream for about an hour. The water should slowly saturate the soil without creating puddles. Any puddling means that too much water is falling at once.
The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening.
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
For most plants it's ok/good to allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out completely before watering again. When you do water, make sure the water is really soaking down to the roots.
Growing season #1 – new plants need regular deep soaking.
Turn your hose on a slow trickle and place it 4-6” from the base of the plant. Let the hose run between 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of the root ball. Deep soaking is the best way to water your new plants.
If the soil feels dry, it's time to water. In the spring and fall and in cooler climates, it might be sufficient to water container plants every two to three days. In the summer and in warm climates, container plants usually require daily watering, unless they are succulents or other drought-tolerant xeriscape plants.
DO use soaker hoses to water vegetable gardens. Again, hit the ground, not the plant. DON'T use overhead sprinklers in vegetable gardens. More water is lost to evaporation than is absorbed by the soil.
If your plant is stressed, check the soil to make sure it is dry and then water deeply. If soil is moist, more water will not help. Most plants shut down during extreme heat, so if it is over 100 degrees, it may be best to wait to water even if your plant is stressed.
If the soil feels dry, it's time to water. In the spring and fall and in cooler climates, it might be sufficient to water container plants every two to three days. In the summer and in warm climates, container plants usually require daily watering, unless they are succulents or other drought-tolerant xeriscape plants.
So, how hot IS too hot for plants? The general answer is around 90 degrees F, with some exceptions to the rule. This means that when temps rise above 90 and remain there for a lengthy spell: Leaves wilt.
Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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