Watering Your Vegetable Garden the Right Way—Top Tips

Published by

James marcus

1 year ago

Knowing how to properly water a vegetable garden is key to producing fresh and nutritious vegetables that enhance any meal. Cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and other garden delights need the right amount of water to mature into tasty treats. It is all too common for gardeners to go about the business of vegetable watering without a plan. Here are some top tips that will keep your garden producing and looking great all season.

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The Importance of Water to Your Vegetables

The first step to correct watering of vegetable gardens is understanding the importance of water to your plants. The average vegetable is made up of more than 80 percent water. Some varieties, such as broccoli, lettuce and celery, exceed 90 percent in their water content. The obvious takeaway here is that a lack of water is the number one reason vegetable gardens fail to thrive.

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It will help if you are able to accurately measure how much water your garden is receiving. The ideal scenario is to get a little bit of help from mother nature. Consistent rainfall will reduce the amount of watering you need to do, but you need to know how much water the garden is getting. Putting a rain gauge in the garden is a good way to monitor levels.

Also remember that gardens kept in the fall and winter require adequate watering, too. Just because you are growing in the cooler months doesn’t mean the water needs aren’t there. You may have to water less often due to the lack of heat, but you still need to keep an eye on the soil.

Use Hoses to Water Deeply

Vegetables and flowers have different structures and different watering requirements. With vegetables, the part of the plant you can see is far less important than what is happening below the ground. The root system of your vegetable plants is what matters most.

When water is consistently delivered to the roots of your vegetable plants, the roots are encouraged to grow and spread. A deeper, vaster root system means better conveyance of water to the uppermost parts of the vegetable. This delivery of water is what produces large, full vegetables.

The problem with using a sprinkler to water a vegetable garden is that the leaves and foliage of the plant are getting the most water. A soaker hose will do a far better job of keeping the soil moist and letting water seep beneath. Like a sprinkler, you can place a soaker hose and let it do the work for you. These hoses can also be placed more effectively than sprinklers.

The Best Time of Day to Water a Vegetable Garden

Hand-Watering Is More Effective

If you don’t want to use a soaker or drip hose for watering, you should still water your vegetables by hand. Every good gardener knows the importance of a good hose. You’ll want to choose one that can withstand the elements, and length is also an important consideration.

Using a longer hose for hand-watering means you will be able to move the hose more easily between the rows of your garden. A short hose poses greater risk to the base of your plants as you move it from spot to spot.

When you water by hand, you have more control over directing the flow of water. You can also control the volume of water that is passing through the hose. It is best to water slowly with a small stream. A high volume of water will tend to run off while slower watering will penetrate the ground and make its way to those roots.

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.