http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x8641Okay, on the subject of gardening, franksolich cuts the primitives some slack, not making fun of them and their silly ways.
Anyway, this bonfire's worth seeing in the original, because there's one photograph--just one photograph--that's excellent, posted by the bivicarious primitive. The rest is just primitive jibber-jabber, but the photograph's a good one.
sdjrocky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-19-08 07:44 PM
Original message
How do you water your garden?
This is what I do, and by no means do I mean to insinuate that this is the right way because this is, after all
, my first garden. I water early in the morning right from the hose into the ground at the base of the plant. I make sure everything is good and soaked (I live in Ca central where temperatures are commonly over 90) and I do each plant one at a time. It takes me about an hour because I planted so much stuff. Then, before the sun goes down, I go out and give the garden a gentle mist. I've used no fertilizer and everything seems to be going well.
So tell me- right, wrong or otherwise? I'd, as always, love some advice from the Duer gardeners that are more experienced than myself.
I dunno. franksolich hasn't watered a garden in years.
If Nature intends a garden to grow, Nature brings rain.
It works every time; franksolich has never had a garden that did NOT overproduce.
And that's out here in the Sandhills of Nebraska, remember.
EstimatedProphet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-19-08 07:53 PM
Response to Original message
1. I give every plant a good shower late afternoon
asdjrocky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-19-08 08:04 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Is that all you do?
Do you put any water on the ground?
EstimatedProphet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-19-08 08:13 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. I'm not sure what you mean
Let me be more descriptive, and that may answer your question. I have a 3' watering wand which I set to shower, and water each plant until the ground is soaked. I've got everything mulched, so it will retain water longer.
asdjrocky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-19-08 08:16 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Got it.
Gormy Cuss Donating Member (1000+ posts) Thu Jun-19-08 08:09 PM
Response to Original message
3. I'm in a slightly cooler version of your climate just south of you,.
We live in the Diablo Valley (the I-680 corridor east of Berkeley/Oakland.) Nearly all of our vegetable gardens are raised beds with redwood frames. Each plant is in its own well and we water each one at a time, once a week. This time of year it's fill the well twice. Later in the season it may be fill the well three times depending on size of plant and the heat. The remaining vegetable patch is a row along a fence and that is watered once each week using a soaker hose. Watery vegetables like cukes and melons get a second watering during the week.
Herbs and flowers are watered by the automatic sprinkler system that was installed by previous owners for the lawn. We've changed the sprinkler head types to provide water in the right spots. Some heads have been replaced with drip lines. Schedule is the same as for the vegetables -- everything inedible is xeric.
During unusually hot spells we do water as needed.
Watering early in the day is good, but if you're watering every day you're encouraging shallow root growth. Once the plant is established it's better to water it more deeply and less frequently. We've noticed that the plants don't seem to become as heat stressed during our hot spells. Tomatoes in particular seem to do better with infrequent, deep watering.
Our growing season is so long that establishing solid roots will keep the tomato plant producing well into the fall. We don't pull out the plants until November.
This, in sunny California?
The "volunteer" "heirloom" tomato plants on the William Rivers Pitt don't start turning dark green, and then into black mush, until after Thanksgiving, some time the first part of December.
And the Sandhills of Nebraska are NOT sunny California.
I'm not sure why this--all the other plants are dead long before then--but I suspect it's because antique swine excrement stays warm longer than plain dirt.
Blue Gardener Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-20-08 06:27 AM
Response to Original message
6. I live in Iowa
Mother Nature has been quite generous with the water this year, so I haven't had to water the garden at all!
bvar22 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-20-08 12:42 PM
Response to Original message
8. High Humidity Here
We live in an area of high humidity (West Central Arkansas). Our plants are dripping with dew almost every morning. Evening watering, and especially misting encourages mildew, fungal diseases, and insect infestations in our area, so we generally water in the morning only when necessary.
We water the base of the plants, taking care to avoid wetting the leaves.
This year, we pruned the lower foliage where possible, and are using support structures to elevate plants off the ground, especially tomatoes. We are also using a moderately thick straw (Spring hay) mulch.
after which the photograph, well worth dragging out the boat and rowing over to Skins's island to look at
We live in an area of high humidity (West Central Arkansas). Our plants are dripping with dew almost every morning. Evening watering, and especially misting encourages mildew, fungal diseases, and insect infestations in our area, so we generally water in the morning only when necessary.
We water the base of the plants, taking care to avoid wetting the leaves.
This year, we pruned the lower foliage where possible, and are using support structures to elevate plants off the ground, especially tomatoes. We are also using a moderately thick straw (Spring hay) mulch.
We are experimenting with the "plastic jug method". The bottom of the jugs have several small holes in the bottom, and are submerged 2" below the surface. We fill the jug, and it slowly releases the water below the surface for slow, deep watering. The jugs are not very attractive, but seem to be doing an excellent job. We will probably use more of these next year.
(The above photo was taken during a rainstorm which is why everything looks drenched.)
Like most gardeners, we tend to water too much. There is an almost irresistible urge to "give the garden a little drink" on a hot July afternoon. This year, we are fighting the urge. We have purchased a moisture content gauge, and have found that our raised boxes in conjunction with the mulching, are very good at retaining moisture.
asdjrocky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Fri Jun-20-08 06:14 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. I love the jug idea.
And I really like the tie dye scarecrow. I've been watering daily as I stated. I tried to take the day off today and found my cukes wilting badly, so of course, it's back to the daily watering. I'm sure I'm watering too much but my plants seem healthy and they are fruiting nicely. I am thinking about investing in a gauge.
Your tomatoes look great, what kind are they?
