Effective Watering

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DDBQE 8 July 2012 Effective Watering.
Get the moisture to the roots of the plants! Not by guesswork, but by utilizing an effective delivery system. The watering magic wand and a bit of effort delivers the water where it can be utilized by the plant roots. The soil is hard packed clay between all the plants, yet the plants are thriving. The plant root growing area might be compared to a large pot.The pot being the hard packed clay outside the root growing area. All my plants are watered when large enough using the WATER MAGIC WAND.When the plants are small a watering can is used or a pail.Why would any thinking person water the ground between the plants where it does no earthy good? Even some of he large trees get water, since during this dry spell some are shedding leaves, a sure sign of they need water. Drip,soaker hose, and aerial spraying are almost insane as far as being effective for the plants.Plants so not need continuous watering, they like a deluge then a rest period.

Observation made to support my position.As a young man serving in Egypt (Gaza)it was observed how the local landowner watered his field of tomatoes. Remember this area is almost like a desert.Labour was cheap.The two or three acre field was dammed around the circumference, about two feet high. Then the field was flooded about six inches deep. A marvellous crop ensued.

Another, once visiting a botanical garden in Cincinnati USA, it was observed that they were growing plants certainly not native to the area. The area was heavily mulched.Upon investigation it was ascertained that the non climate plants were grown in large pots and watered as necessary.This system of growing is analogous to my present yard, the hard packed clay soil around the growing plants being the pots.Nobody in their right mind would water pots.

Mulch helps retain moisture for loner periods, but it alone is not adequate if there is insufficient rainfall.The watering times are staggered,hence the effort is not onerous. The results are spectacular with little wastage of water. I tried to get a debate on this subject some time past, but the response was the normal, dull non-reflective response from some people with me to’s so gave up.

Your Granddaddy did a better job watering his plants with a stone bolt and a team of horses and a couple of 45 gallon drums, than most of your present methods. He sure didn’t blanket water, you can be sure.How much water is determined by experience. You don’t need a meter, your plants will inform you and usually quickly. Quod Erat Demonstrandum. Pictures substantiate my method.

[wulf]

I wondered if your "magic wand" was some system for inserting a tube into the ground but it looks like an attachment for a hose? Is this the equivalent of a plumbed-in watering can? In my garden I've eschewed the use of a hose (our hosepipe ban has only just been lifted) and use a can. Mind you, with the weather we've been having, we haven't actually needed to do much watering outside for some weeks!

I certainly agree that water to the base of the plant (and a good drench rather than a few drops), where it can soak down to the roots, is much more sensible than just giving all the leaves a light wash.

Wulf

[contadina]

All our newly planted trees and bushes have flexible tubing wrapped around their roots before they are planted. The tubing then has a plastic water bottle with the bottom cut off attached to it, which is tied to a stake to allow easy watering of the roots. It's 40+°C at the moment, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the healthy looking saplings we planted last autumn.

[Odsox]

Mulch helps retain moisture for loner periods, but it alone is not adequate if there is insufficient rainfall.The watering times are staggered,hence the effort is not onerous. The results are spectacular with little wastage of water. I tried to get a debate on this subject some time past, but the response was the normal, dull non-reflective response from some people with me to’s so gave up.

No Durgan you didn't debate, you lectured.
I merely pointed out that while watering and mulching is almost certainly vital in hot dry climates, people (like me) who live in cool wet climates find mulching to be detrimental and watering totally irrelevant.