After soil, watering and irrigation savvy may be the second most crucial thing any food gardener will need to grow a garden to its greatest potential.
We all know about the hazards of container gardening: over-watering, under-watering, root rot, algae, etc. Container gardening is a watering and irrigation master class in and of itself.
In-ground gardens seem easier to grow, but as the line goes: “more garden, more problems.” Then you have irrigation systems and sprinklers to think about—unless you plan to baby your food garden day in and day out.
And although in-ground gardens are more manageable because plants can stretch their roots to access water and nutrients, there are still watering and irrigation challenges depending on soil and sunlight. Some garden areas may be too soggy, and others may be too dry, the ground may be too loose, have too much clay, or any other number of factors happening at once.
What about timing? Is there a best time to water your plants? Most would say morning. That gives the water plenty of time to saturate the soil before it gets hot and begins to evaporate. And it’s early enough in the day that any water on the leaves will evaporate before mold, mildew, and disease have a chance to settle in. But plants, especially those plants outside in your veggie garden, aren’t all the same.
In the articles below, you’ll learn everything you need to know about watering and irrigation in food gardening. You can learn even more in our How to Grow a Vegetable Garden: 10 Things Every Gardener Needs to Know Before Starting a Food Garden freebie. Enjoy!
Confession time! Most of my houseplants are within 30 feet of my kitchen. I’m an absent-minded indoor plant waterer. If it’s not within 30 feet of my sink, there’s a good chance I’ll forget to water it. I have a beautiful rubber tree on the second floor of my house that I have (on several occasions) nearly killed from forgetting to water it. Enter self-watering plant bulbs! Also known as “plant nannies,” or “watering globes,” these self-watering plant bulbs are a plant lifesaver.
How often should you water herbs indoors? There is a little more to the answer than just the wind, but that does play a part. Or more accurately, the weather and climate in general impact how much water your indoor herbs will need. So does the type of soil you use, where in your house you’ve placed them, and how much light they get.
I found the most adorable bowl in the shape of an elephant at a local pottery studio and knew I wanted to use it as a planter in my indoor herb garden. I bought Ellie (that’s what I named her) and took her home where she sat on my counter for three weeks while I […]
I remember watching a film strip (yes, I’m old) in grade school that showed me how people wasted up to four gallons of water if they left the faucet on while brushing their teeth. That same filmstrip highlighted the environmental benefits of the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Since then, my environmental sustainability efforts happen in small steps, especially in the garden.
Droopy under-watered plants, yellow over-watered plants, is there any balance when it comes to gardening? Basil, my most beloved herb, is notoriously famous for telling me that I love it just a little too much with its sad yellow leaves. Meanwhile, my pathetic parsley is looking at me, saying feed me!
Squash is in my top five favorite vegetables and that’s partly due to the fact that it’s both a noun and a verb. You can squash a squash but you can’t tomato a tomato. Beyond my logophile feelings toward the vegetable, squash is also one of the most versatile veggies out there.
What are the best times to water plants? Well, you might as well grab an iced tea and have a seat, because the answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Of course, the easy answer is to just tell you that morning is the best time for watering your garden. And in general, that’s true enough. So why go any deeper?
I’ll be the first to admit that I have an overwatered plant or two in my garden every year. It’s not so bad now, but my indoor plants used to try their best to run away when they saw me coming with the watering can. Spoiler alert: They didn’t get very far.
I sometimes wish watering my vegetable garden (and folding laundry, and cleaning bathrooms) was as easy as an I Dream of Jeannie head-nod. (Am I dating myself?) It’s not that I don’t like watering my garden. I really do. But it’s sometimes tricky finding the time to visit every vegetable with the hose. Irrigation systems are a time saver in this regard. Garden irrigation systems come in many different shapes, sizes, and price points. When deciding on a system for your vegetable garden you can go the professional route and have one installed or you can put together a homemade irrigation system.
So you want to start growing your own fruit trees. You have picked out one or two you want to try, but you still have some questions. Do you have the time for watering fruit trees? How fast will your fruits grow? And will you finally get to taste a freshly-plucked apple / pear / plum / orange / avocado /insert your favorite here? Is now your time to become the neighborhood baker of the best apple pies? Will you start your own peach orchard? Is now your time to accomplish your fruit tree dreams?
