Watering your plants properly takes a little math and strategy
Question: I have read a variety of articles that say most plants need an inch of water each week. I have a rain gauge that tells me the amount of rainfall, but how do I know when my hose has applied that much water?
Answer: This is a general guideline used by many, including me, to make watering a bit easier to accomplish. Adjust this recommendation based on soil type, temperature and rainfall.
Clay soil holds water longer, so the inch of water can be applied once a week, while fast-drying soils do better with a half inch of water every three to five days. Mulched soil dries out slower than exposed soil, and plants need less frequent watering during cooler weather.
If you use the one inch rule, you can calculate the amount of water to apply using a 5 gallon bucket and simple math. Attach the hose to the faucet with the watering wand, nozzle or whatever attachment is used for watering. Record the time it takes to fill the bucket. Confirm your results by repeating this step.
Now comes the math. It takes about 62 gallons of water to cover a 100square-foot garden with an inch of water. Multiply the time it took to fill the 5 gallon bucket with water by 12. That is about the amount of time it will take to apply an inch of water to 100 square feet of garden.
Many gardeners apply water to lawns and gardens using sprinklers. Much of the water applied is blown away from the intended garden by the wind and lost to evaporation.
Try to water early in the morning when the wind speeds tend to be lower and less water is lost to evaporation. If you opt for this method, you can use straight-sided cans to measure the amount of water applied. Set several cans in the area being watered. Check the faucet setting and time. Once the cans are filled with an inch of water, you have determined the time it takes to apply an inch of water in those conditions. The windier and later in the day the water is applied, the longer it may take to apply the needed water.
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Another option is to check the soil moisture before watering and watering thoroughly so you moisten the area where the majority of the plant’s roots are located. The majority of annual flower and vegetable roots are in the top 6 to 12 inches of soil. Perennial vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and fruit plants have deeper roots.
Trees do best with 10 gallons of water for every inch diameter of trunk. The water should be applied throughout the area under the canopy of the tree. Track the time needed to moisten the soil to the proper depth.
Turn the faucet on to the normal setting and begin timing. Insert a screwdriver into the soil to check the depth of the soil that has received water. Once it meets resistance it has probably reached dry soil. Record the amount of time it took to moisten the soil to the correct depth. Check several locations in the area being watered.
Q: I want to grow some fruits and vegetables in containers this year. What size pots should I plant them in?
A: Grow short tomato varieties, peppers, eggplants and other smaller vegetables in 2- to 3-gallon containers. Plant taller tomatoes in 5-gallon or larger pots.
Some research suggests growing tomatoes in a pot that is at least 14 inches, preferably 20 inches wide, will yield greater results. Greens can grow in smaller containers, as well as beets, radishes and carrots. Just make sure the planter is deep enough to accommodate the length of the carrot you have selected.
I like to add herbs and flowers with my vegetables, but the harvest will be smaller than when growing individual vegetable plants in their own container.
For dwarf and columnar upright apples, as well as dwarf pears and other fruit trees, grow in a pot between 18 and 24 inches in diameter and 20 inches deep. Grow compact blueberries in 12 to 16 inch diameter pots that are at least 10 inches deep. Dwarf raspberries and blackberries prefer containers 16 inches in diameter or larger containers that are at least 12 inches deep.
Strawberries need less space and will thrive in pots. Plant strawberries in containers 10 to 12 inches in diameter and at least 8 inches deep for best results.
Consider growing your perennial fruit and vegetable plants in nursery pots. This allows you to bury the pot for winter, or overwinter in an unheated shed or garage. Just set this container in a decorative pot during the growing season to dress things up.
Post questions at melindamyers. com, or write P.O. Box 798, Mukwonago, WI 53149