Watering 101: The Most Efficient Ways to Water Your Garden

Watering your garden can be tricky. Water too much, and some plants will be more susceptible to disease and will fail to thrive. Water too little, and some plants will die or give you a poor harvest. Try following our tips and techniques for watering your vegetable garden, and your plants will have a successful and productive season.

The roots are the water-gathering part of the plant. It is through the roots that the plant takes up nutrients.

When the seeds are first germinating and sprouting, watering is frequent and shallow. But once roots are growing, all watering should focus on the root system. 

Too much water can make the soil too wet, and the roots won’t be able to take in oxygen. If the ground becomes too dry, the plants will get stressed. Stressed plants may produce small fruit or none at all. They may bolt, turn bitter, or wilt and die. 

The parts above ground are the leaves and flowers. The leaves use photosynthesis to turn the water into sugar and oxygen. Healthy leaves contribute to the development and strength of the plant. Wet leaves that stay wet can lead to disease. 

To have healthy, thriving plants, focus on watering the roots. The best way to water your vegetable garden is low and slow. If you think of the roots reaching deep, you want the water to be deep. Not shallow surface water. 

The best watering system for vegetable and flower gardens is a drip system or soaker hose. These allow a slow flow of water around the plant roots that soaks deep. Deep soaking encourages deeper root growth. On the other hand, shallow watering, like how you water a lawn, keeps roots higher and more susceptible to drought.

For low and slow watering, you can also have a row watering system where you turn the hose down low and let the water flow down a row. Again, the water flow should be slow enough that the water will soak in as it goes and not just wash away the soil. 

It’s not a good idea to water your garden with a sprinkler like you do your lawn. This kind of frequent watering doesn’t soak in deep for plant roots. It also puts a lot of water on the leaves and flowers, where more evaporation will occur.

Different plants have different watering needs, but the general guideline for vegetables is one inch of water per week. Starting with that guideline, adjustments can be made for dry, hot days and plants requiring more water when fruiting or flowering. Plants such as melons will need a lot of water, while herbs and Mediterranean plants will do well with less water.

How often you water your garden depends on how quickly it dries out. If the soil stays moist, then once a week is sufficient. However, if your soil is more sandy, twice a week is more realistic. Soil covered by mulch will retain moisture longer, while sandy, well-drained soil will need more frequent watering. 

Containers need to be watered more frequently. Most containers will need to be watered daily, and some twice a day. The exact frequency depends on the size and material of the container. Plastic containers won’t dry out as fast as terra-cotta. 

Vegetables and flowers do best with consistent watering. For example, root vegetables such as carrots need to stay moist to maintain their shape and not have split roots. Consistent watering is also essential for tomatoes so they don’t dry out and get end rot.

Water is an essential garden need, and getting it right will take some adjustments. But with slow and low watering focused on the roots, your garden plants will thrive.

Written by Beverly Laudie