As we're now , I thought it was about time I tackled the subject of watering.Ìý Hot weather may be good news for ice cream sellers, but for the gardener it means lots more watering, and that's a job you can't put off.Ìý
What do plants need water for anyway?
Lugging watering cans is hard work, so you'll want to make the most from your effort.Ìý That means getting the water to where it's needed most - at the roots.Ìý Water evaporates from plantsÌýall the time they're growing,Ìýlost fromÌýtiny holes called stomata found all over their leaves and stems.ÌýÌý You can get an idea how much a plant loses byÌýsticking a plastic bag over it - you'll soon see condensation.Ìý To make up the loss, more water is sucked up by the roots, helping keep the plant stiff - which is why they wilt when they're thirsty.Ìý
How much, how often?
Effective watering needs to get down to root level - a little sprinkle might make the soil look wet, but it'll just evaporate away into the air without doing the plant a blind bit of good.Ìý I learnt this the hard way, as did my pepper plants.
It's better to give your plants a really good soaking a couple of times a weekÌý-Ìýa litre or two for a tomatoÌýplantÌý- than a light shower twice a day.ÌýÌýWater onto the soil at the base of the plant where it'll sink into the earth.ÌýÌýWater can't be absorbed through the leaves, andÌýmay even causeÌýscorchingÌýby focussing the sun's rays onto one spot, aÌýbit like using a magnifying glass to burn ants,Ìýnot that I ever did that.ÌýÌýA good trick is to sink a bit of pipe or a pot next to the plant, so water you pour in is guaranteed to hit the roots.
Because of their small space, growbags and pots can't hold that much water, so they need to be topped up more frequently.Ìý As a rule of thumb, if you can poke your thumb into them and not feel moisture until the first joint, they need watering.Ìý Alright, that's a rule of finger, but you get the point.
When?
Plants need water most when they've just been moved and haven't established good roots yet, and when they're flowering and fruiting.Ìý Don't neglect them then, or they may grow nice and big, but not bother to crop.Ìý A bit like my allotment neighbour Kev's enormous broad bean hedge - lovely to look at, but it doesn't have a single pod on it.
Watering is best done in the morning or evening.Ìý Not only will youÌýnot getÌýheatstroke (make sure you wear a hat if you're out in this heat), but you'll also avoid the sun beating down and dessicating your plot the moment you've left.
Muck and moisture
How much you have to water does depend on your soil as well - clay grabs water, while sandy soils just let it dribble through.Ìý But you can improve on what nature gave you - bung a load of good honest muck like compost or rotted manure on the soil.Ìý It's full of organic matter which is packed with tiny pores that hold onto water, making your soil work like a sponge, not a sieve.Ìý Plus,Ìýmulching, or coveringÌýthe soil with a thick layer of muck, bark chippings or even grass cuttings will help keep the water in, and it'll add fertility too.
If you've got the room, a water butt is a must.Ìý All that free water, coming out of the sky and just draining away?Ìý What a waste - you might as well save it for your own use.ÌýÌýOn the subject of waste, it's worth knowing that you can use your bath or washing up water on ornamental plants, so long as you vary which plants get it, but it's best not to use on vegetables.Ìý Who wants to eat a soapy carrot, eh?
Remember, as a gardener, you've got an advantage over other people.Ìý Unlike them, you're happy when it rains!
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