Learning how to Water your Gardens
Watering your gardens may not sound difficult, but if you live in an area where water is limited, making the most of your water resources is vital. Water in your garden is what makes every living plant thrive, produce and continue growing.

Posted Friday, April 21, 2006

Methods of watering vary from state to state, and from grow zone to grow zone. After living in the same area for just a few years, you will become aware of how moist your soil is and where moisture tends to gather in your landscape. You can use this information to your advantage, planting your gardens near moist areas whenever possible so that you don’t have to water as often.

In order to create gardens that will require less water, read more about the plants that interest you most. You can find information about how much water a plant is going to need at the local library or on the internet. If you live in a constant drought area, choose plants that require very little water and that can handle humidity.

Select plants that are appropriate for your growing areas. Shallow root plants need more water higher up in the soil. Deep root plants require less moisture on the top layers. Woody or bark plants require less water than plants that are stemmed and sensitive to heat.

In order to take advantage of the watering, put all plants that require watering together in one area so you can get the task done without having to carry water all over your landscape.

Adding mulch is going to lessen the amount of watering that you have to do in the garden. Mulch is going to keep the soil moist so that the roots of the plants will be able to absorb this moisture consistently. Watering once a week or every two weeks is a more viable option when you use mulch in your gardens.

One of the best times to water is in the early morning. The water will have a chance to sink into the roots of your plants before the heat of the sun fights for the moisture. If you water during the day, the water will evaporate faster, and the water can burn the plant if it heats up too fast. If you water at night you run the risk of sponsoring disease or fungus as the cooler temperatures combine with the moisture. Watering during the morning is the best possible time to water your plants.