Garden update for July: The watering rule
By David Silver on July 13, 2012, 11:31pm
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It has been very hot and very dry so it is useful to learn a few things about watering. The first thing is that vegetables need an inch of water per week to thrive. An inexpensive plastic rain gauge can help us determine whether or not we have achieved this one inch rule.
Placing the rain gauge right under the sprinkler is not useful. You will not get a valid reading this way. Situate the rain gauge in an open area at the perimeter of the vegetable garden.
Don't let the water accumulate in the rain gauge for an entire week. There will be a natural loss from evaporation from the rain gauge, especially on hot and dry days. Rather, empty the rain gauge every day and then add up your totals for the entire week.
Tomatoes are susceptible to blossom end rot if there is not enough water. This is characterized by a brown spot at the bottom of the tomato where the blossom was situated. This is a classic sign of under-watering. Increasing the watering rate will avoid this disease.
Certain vegetables like onions and garlic will benefit from a dry period of a week or two prior to harvesting. In a mixed vegetable garden with tomatoes, squash, cukes and other vegetables that need water and the onions and garlic that like to be dry is to water by hand rather than a sprinkler on a timer. Since the harvest period will be one or two weeks at most, this should not be too much of a chore. The best time to water is early in the morning. If watering by hand is not possible, then plan your garden so that the onions and garlic are at the perimeter of the vegetable garden where they will naturally get less water from a sprinkler.
Garlic is ready to harvest when half of the leaves have turned yellow. Harvesting too early will sacrifice bulb size. Harvesting too late will result in garlic heads that will not store and will rot out early. Harvesting garlic is more art than science and it takes some time to learn when the garlic is 'just right'. During the dry period for onions, brush the soil away from around the onions until they are gradually exposed and the entire bulb is sitting on top of the ground. The exposure to the sun will force the onions to develop their skin. When the tops have fallen over and you see a nice golden brown skin, then it is time to harvest.
Shrubs and trees that you have planted from early Spring through June need intensive watering and this should continue through the rest of the summer, especially with this current weather situation. Water deeply. That is, don't just soak the surface. Imagine where rain would fall and drip from the canopy of the tree and shrub. This is the "drip line". Water at the drip line. Adjust the hose so that you get a trickle of water (not a drip) and move the hose around the drip line over the period of a half an hour. If you don't have the time to adjust the hose, then place the hose a few feet from the trunk. Whatever you do, do not place the hose right at the trunk. Our goal is to encourage root growth that seeks out the water. Let's not our trees and shrubs get lazy!
Even established shrubs will wilt in this kind of weather. Endless Summer Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' "Endless Summer") are prone to wilting in this hot and dry weather. Let's not neglect our old and established friends.
You would think that watering should be a rather simple thing and that there is not much to know about it. There is a proverb about watering bonsai that it takes years and years of practice to water bonsai correctly. Perhaps this is true. The main thing is to 'know' your plants and respond to their needs. This is the way to successful gardening.
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