Tips for Properly Watering Your Garden Plants

The summer has just started, and already it's watering time here in Central Ohio - this spring has been quite a bit drier than usual. As all gardeners know, watering is one of the most essential components of garden success. Plants are approximately 90% water and therefore it is essential that they get enough water to survive.

Gardening is all about balance and that applies to the amount of water your plants need to stay healthy. Over watering can be as harmful as not giving them enough water. Too much water can reduce the plants ability to draw oxygen and nutrients from the soil and this is as essential to their growth as the water.

The soil that the plants are growing in is a big factor in the amount of water that you should be giving them. If the soil is heavy and doesn't drain well you will need to give them less water or they could get water logged and the roots can rot. If the soil is a lot freer draining then you might need to water a little more often.

Drip irrigation uses a series of pipes and tubes to deliver water to the base of each plant. Because little water is lost to evaporation and runoff, this method uses less water than sprinklers and trenches. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gentle watering is better than heavy watering with a hose as the higher pressure of the hose can cause the soil to turn to mud, and can also compact it. Once the soil dries out again it will become solidified. This compacting of the soil after heavy watering makes it more difficult for the plants to grow.

Soakers (also called soaker hoses or drip irrigation) are a good method of watering provided the flow of water is not too great. Soakers are also excellent when using a timed irrigation system so that the plants get sufficient water when you are away and particularly in the hotter months of the year when the soil tends to dry out more often.

If you are using timed irrigation you will need to adjust the timing and the flow of water according to the seasons and always make changes when there have been unseasonal changes to the weather that will require extra care for the plants.

Once again, garden plants need the human touch to maintain that balance - and that's what only you, as a gardener, can provide.