You cannot grow a good harvest without water. This statement certainly does not cause doubts in anyone. Most gardeners know that they need to water in the evening or in the morning and only with warm water. However, we do not always have the time, strength and opportunity to comply with such regulations. Therefore, we water when we are free, and with such water as we have. We don’t think about whether this benefits our plants.
In today’s article we will talk about how to properly “water” garden crops and how to determine soil moisture, we will understand the watering standards for various plants and the main methods of irrigation.
Different garden crops, depending on the climatic conditions of their historical homeland and due to biological characteristics, require different water regimes. If it is enough to water fruit trees 4-6 times throughout the entire season, then cabbage in dry soil will simply die. Watering is not just moistening the soil with a hose and watering can, or in some other way. In order for water to benefit the plant, you need to know the basic rules of irrigation, because what is good for one can simply ruin others.
10 basic rules for watering your garden
Any water is suitable for irrigation - river, lake or pond; you can use water from a well or well, and even from a water supply system. There are two mandatory conditions: the water must be warm (temperature no lower than 18-20 degrees) and not contain chlorine impurities. This can be achieved by simply settling in any available containers, preferably black, which ensures rapid heating and oxygen saturation.
Many crops do not like watering their leaves, which leads either to sunburn or to the spread of various dangerous fungal diseases (late blight, powdery mildew), which we described in detail in the article “Diseases and pests of cucumber”. Such plants need to be watered at the root.
If the soil is very dry, first sprinkle it with a little water, and after the first moisture has been absorbed, water it abundantly so that the water reaches the roots, but there should be no puddles left on the surface of the ground.
In hot weather, so that the water has time to be absorbed before it evaporates under the influence of the summer sun and wind, it is necessary to water early in the morning or in the evenings. In addition, during the day, drops of moisture on the leaves create a lens effect, which leads to burns. And for a person, working in the midday heat is not pleasant.
But when it gets colder, it is better to “water” the plants during the day, since after evening watering the water does not have time to be completely absorbed into the soil, high air humidity is created, leading to the activation of many dangerous diseases.
It is better to water less often, but more abundantly. With weak moisture, only the surface of the earth is wetted, and the moisture does not reach the roots. Such surface watering will only benefit weeds, and crop plants with a lack of water do not absorb nutrients well and are stunted in growth. Therefore, short-term rain is not a reason to postpone watering.
Everything is good in moderation. It should be noted that plants often die not from underwatering, but from overwatering. Overwatering is no less harmful than drought. Excessive watering contributes to erosion of the soil, and as a result, an increase in its acidity. In waterlogged soil, roots rot, access to oxygen and nutrients deteriorates, and ideal conditions are created for the occurrence of dangerous diseases.
Irrigation rates depend on the degree of development of garden crops. Thus, seeds and seedlings need surface moisture, and adult plants require deep moisture, and the more massive the roots, the more the crop “drinks.”
To maintain moisture in the soil for a long time, the beds must be mulched with any materials at hand (humus, compost, hay, straw, and others). This will not only retain moisture during the hot season, but will also help restore fertility and improve the structure of the soil.
When watering, you need to consider what type of soil predominates in your area. Heavy clay and loamy soils are saturated with moisture slowly, but also retain it for a long time. Therefore, such land needs to be watered rarely, but abundantly. But sandy soils, on the contrary, require frequent, but not so abundant irrigation. We will talk to you in more detail about soil types and their main characteristics in the next article.
How to determine soil moisture
A deficiency, as well as an excess of moisture, negatively affects the growth and development of garden crops, inhibits the formation of flowers and ovaries, and reduces the quantity and quality of the harvest. In order to understand whether you need to water your garden, you need to learn how to determine soil moisture. There are many scientific ways to determine it, but for the common man they are practically inapplicable due to their complexity. Let's look at a simple method available to any amateur gardener.
To determine the moisture content, we immerse the shovel in the ground fully and take soil samples from a depth of 20 cm (either from the tip of the shovel or from the bottom of the resulting hole). If the soil has a powdery appearance, crumbles in your hands and does not roll into a lump, this means that it is dry and needs to be watered urgently and abundantly.
If the soil rolls into a lump, which crumbles when dropped from chest height onto a shovel, then the degree of humidity is determined to be moderate; water if necessary.
When the earth rolls into a lump, and it does not break when falling, the earth does not stick to the fingers, then the soil moisture is considered good and it is recommended to water only in dry weather.
If the soil rolls into a ball when pressed and sticks to your fingers, then the soil moisture is excellent and you don’t have to irrigate the area for a week.
The soil is considered too wet when water is squeezed out of the lump when it is compressed. Such land is not watered for two weeks or more.
In order not to harm the plants, it is necessary not only to learn how to determine humidity, but also to study the biological characteristics of each crop, on which watering rates will depend at certain moments of growth and development.
Irrigation rates for main garden crops
Of all the crops that we grow on our plots, cabbage is the most moisture-loving, and this applies to all its varieties. This vegetable, unlike others, prefers cool water. You need to water cabbage often: early varieties - once every 3-4 days, late varieties - once a week. When irrigating cabbage beds, the soil should be soaked to a depth of 40 cm, since cabbage has a powerful root system that penetrates deeply into the ground. It is best to “water” this crop by combining surface irrigation along furrows with sprinkling, which will help not only increase soil moisture, but also increase air humidity, this is especially important in hot, dry weather. Cabbage easily tolerates watering directly over the leaves. Lack of moisture leads to stunted growth and cracking of heads of cabbage during their formation. However, high humidity is also extremely undesirable; it can give impetus to the activation of the fungus that causes white rot, which we talked about in more detail in one of the articles in the series about organic farming, “How to grow a bountiful harvest of healthy cabbage without chemicals.”
Cucumber is also quite demanding on soil and air moisture, especially during the formation of ovaries and fruits. If at the initial stages of development this crop can tolerate some drought, then at the time of fruiting, with a lack of water, the cucumber drops its flowers, or the fruits turn out to be ugly and bitter in taste. Cucumbers must be watered with warm water (temperature no lower than 22 degrees) in the evening or early in the morning, but in such a way that the leaves have time to dry by night. The irrigation rate is 20-30 liters of water per 1 sq. m garden, the frequency depends on weather conditions and the condition of the soil - here it is important not to let the soil dry out completely, but you also should not flood the beds. In hot, dry weather, it is recommended to carry out refreshing watering during the day at the rate of 5-10 liters per 1 square meter. m beds. It is important to note that it is not recommended to water cucumbers by sprinkling; this can cause burns on the leaves and lead to the development of fungal diseases.
People say about tomatoes that they like dry heads but wet feet. This crop is watered only at the roots; sprinkling the beds, especially in the evening, often leads to the activation of late blight. At different periods of development, tomatoes' moisture requirements vary. So, immediately after planting seedlings, for better survival, it is necessary to maintain high soil moisture. Further, until fruiting, watering must be reduced, since waterlogged soil promotes excessive growth of green mass, which reduces the plant’s immunity, and in early varieties this can lead to a delay in fruit ripening. It is necessary to increase watering during the period of ovary formation - a lack of water at this time can lead to a significant reduction in yield due to shedding of flowers. But at the time of ripening, increased soil moisture can lead to cracking and rotting of the fruit. Typically, tomatoes are watered once every 7-10 days at the rate of 20-30 liters of water per 1 square meter. m. In dry weather, it is necessary to “water” the plants twice a week, while the norm is reduced by 1/3.
Pepper has a shallow, but quite horizontally branched root system, therefore it places quite high demands on the moisture content of the surface layer of the earth. With insufficient watering, plants are stunted in growth, can shed flowers and ovaries, and form ugly, defective fruits. Lack of water leads to the development of a pepper disease called blossom end rot, which was discussed in more detail in the article “How to protect peppers from pests and diseases.” After planting seedlings, peppers are watered more often, but with less water, and during the fruiting period - less often, but more abundantly. The average irrigation rate for this crop is from 15 to 30 liters per 1 square meter. m, depending on weather conditions. Pepper is a heat-loving plant, so during cold weather it is better not to irrigate the beds, since wet soil significantly reduces the ambient temperature, which negatively affects the condition of the plants.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants love water, but they use it sparingly and can easily wait until you arrive at the site next weekend, of course, provided that there is no “stupefying” heat. Carrots, beets, zucchini, beans, and potatoes need to be watered even less often. These vegetables do not tolerate waterlogging well.
The most drought-resistant crops include watermelon, pumpkin and melon; they are watered rarely, but with plenty of water. Therefore, if there is a good rainfall at least once every three to four weeks, there is no need to water the beds with these melons at all.
Basic watering methods
As we have already found out, watering plants must be approached thoughtfully, taking into account the biological characteristics of each individual crop. In this regard, it is necessary to select the type of irrigation that will be most suitable. Today, there are three main methods of watering vegetable gardens that we use in our garden plots. These are surface watering, sprinkling and drip irrigation systems.
Surface watering is the simplest and most common way to increase soil moisture. The hose is placed on those beds where irrigation is needed and connected to a water source. In this case, water enters directly into the holes or furrows, penetrating directly to the root system. It should be noted that you cannot put the hose directly on the water tap - the water will be cold and chlorinated, which will only harm the plants. In this case, it is necessary to settle the water in containers and supply it to the garden using a pump. This method is ideal for watering fruit trees and shrubs; it can also be used to irrigate beds with crops that cannot be irrigated by sprinkling (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, etc.). Surface watering is suitable for those who have small areas allocated for planting vegetables. area, since the method is very labor intensive. Another important disadvantage is the increased water consumption and the danger of erosion of the top layer of soil with subsequent acidification.
Sprinkling today is considered the most effective way to increase the humidity of not only the soil, but also the air. This method is closest to natural precipitation. Its essence lies in the fact that special devices connected to a water source using a hose system spray water above the surface of the earth. Considering the possibility of almost complete automation, sprinkling differs from surface irrigation in that it is minimally labor intensive. Sprinkler irrigation does not destroy the soil structure, humidifies the air, reduces the temperature around the plants, and washes away dust and small pests. This method of irrigation can be used during planting of seedlings to improve their survival rate; sprinkling is ideal for watering lawns and flower beds. Sprinkling can be used to protect plants from frost. However, this watering method will not be ideal for every vegetable; it is not suitable for potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and other crops that do not like watering over the surface of the leaves. For such plants, either surface watering is used or drip irrigation systems are installed.
Drip irrigation today is the most progressive method of irrigation, given the acute shortage of fresh water throughout the planet. When using surface irrigation or sprinkling, a large amount of moisture is lost under the influence of wind and high air temperatures or is simply wasted in the ground. Drip irrigation allows you to use water as economically as possible, supplying it slowly and directly under each bush. When watering with a hose, one liter of water is consumed in 5 seconds, and with drip irrigation - in 15 minutes. This comparison says it all. Drip irrigation systems deliver exactly the amount of water each plant needs, without watering the weeds. When using drip irrigation, the surface layer of the soil is not washed away and its structure is not destroyed.
The essence of the drip system is as follows: a plastic tube is laid along the rows, and through droppers built into it, water is supplied to each individual plant, if the pressure is low, then in drops, if high, then in a microstream. Today, there are many different drip systems manufactured by various companies and differing in the quality of the material, permissible pressure, and, accordingly, in price. We will talk to you in more detail about the various designs presented on the market for gardening products today in the next article.
Watering - benefit or harm
There is no doubt that plants absolutely need moisture. In dry soil, the growth and formation of ovaries and fruits slows down, which negatively affects the quantity and quality of the harvest. However, from the point of view of common sense and taking into account the careful attitude towards our plants, watering is certainly harmful.
Sporadic irrigation, and even in some cases with inappropriate cold chlorinated water, means a sharp change in the temperature and humidity of the soil, and its chemical composition. For garden crops, such watering represents severe stress, which negatively affects their well-being. That is why it is forbidden to water in the heat. In addition, when water drops fall on the leaves, they disrupt the natural evaporation process, which causes severe burns.
Excessive watering, as already noted, disrupts the structure of the soil, leaches useful nutrients from it, and negatively affects the vital activity of beneficial soil inhabitants. High air humidity is a trigger for the development of many dangerous fungal diseases.
What to do? - you ask. After all, plants cannot survive without water. It is the only way to transport nutrients from the roots to the ground part, and the evaporation of moisture by the leaves protects the crops from overheating. The answer suggests itself - moisture in the soil and air must be preserved. And for this there is only one way - mulching. Treat your land and plants with love and understanding, mulch the soil - this will help maintain its moisture, do not create drafts in greenhouses and other closed ground structures. Then watering - this inevitable and undeniable evil - can be reduced to a minimum.
Every year in the summer we save the garden from drought, that is, we simply water it. This would seem to be the simplest operation that can be performed on a personal plot. But, despite its simplicity, watering takes quite a lot of time.
How to water your garden plot? Watering your garden or summer cottage is easy. We take buckets, fill them with water and methodically water bush by bush, flower by flower, tree by tree. Well, or you can do it much simpler: take a hose, attach it to an outdoor tap and water the plants directly.
But, in addition to the methods described above, which are used by almost 90% of summer residents in our huge country, there are more economical (both in terms of water use and in terms of spending our time), interesting and simple solutions. Initially, of course, you will have to tinker a little, but the result is worth it. The garden will be watered with almost no effort on your part.
So, the first method is drip irrigation.
There is complete scope for imagination here. You can use the simplest option: buy a ready-made hose for drip irrigation. But it has one very significant drawback - the holes are located at a certain distance. This means that we initially need to calculate the distances between planted plants so that water gets under them, and not under the weeds.
And there are other methods of drip irrigation. For one of them we will need old plastic bottles. You need to cut off the bottom of the bottles, then secure (hang) them slightly to the side of the plants, pour in water, and then, adjusting the stopper, set the liquid flow rate we need. Top up your bottles with water every few days.
By the way, to prevent water from eroding the soil, place either small pieces of plastic or glass (but glass is dangerous).
What are the advantages of this method? Cost-effective, watering the roots of the plants, that is, the weeds will not receive moisture, good heating of the water, which is very important for the plants.
But there are also disadvantages: you need quite a large number of bottles, the need to secure these same bottles.
The second method is also drip irrigation
But the method is somewhat simpler than the first. We take a hose of the required length (to lay it along all the plants), dig a hole along them 4-5 centimeters deep, and lay the hose into it. Then we take an awl and carefully pierce the hose in the places we need, next to the plants that need watering, close the end of the hose with a special stopper so that the water does not leak out. We dig in the hose, then attach it to a faucet or pipe and let the water flow. The water will slowly come out through the holes we made, watering the plants.
Pros: efficiency, low water consumption, watering exactly in the places we need.
There are practically no downsides to this method., except for the damaged hose.
Method three - watering with fabric tapes (bundles, wicks)
To perform this “acrobatic trick” we will need empty, but definitely whole containers. We dig them in our garden at a distance of a couple of meters from each other or at the beginning of each row (which is undoubtedly better). Yes, yes, all over the garden. Pour water into the containers, then cut a ribbon from the fabric equal to the length of the row being watered, make a small groove along the row, near the roots of the plants, place our fabric ribbon in it, dig it in, and lower the end of the fabric into a container of water. That's it, the irrigation system is ready.
Pros: low cost, of all the methods, this is the most economical, you don’t need to water the garden, just make sure that there is water in the containers.
Cons: preparatory work. Although the advantages more than outweigh this only disadvantage.
And the last interesting way is watering using plastic bottles
This is the simplest method. We cut off the bottom of plastic bottles, make 4-5 small holes in the lid (so that water does not leak out quickly), then we dig in our “devices” at a distance of 15-20 cm from the root of the plant at an angle of 40 degrees. We fill the bottles with water and that’s it. Only occasionally Check containers for liquid.
Pros: economical, fast, convenient.
Minuses: preparatory work.
As you know, tomatoes are very sensitive to a lack of moisture in the soil, and we cannot always water them often. There is a way to provide them with water. Plastic bottles help us with this.
Using a hole punch, we make several holes in them along the entire length and on all sides and bury them in the ground near each bush so that the neck protrudes slightly from the soil. Before leaving, if you need to be away for several days, fill the bottles with water and screw on the cap so that it does not evaporate. Water seeping through the holes slowly penetrates the soil, and your tomatoes are always watered.
Four ways to water your garden
The simplest option. Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle and make 4-6 holes in the cork. They should be medium so that the water does not flow out quickly. It is better to make small holes first and then enlarge them if necessary. Stepping 15-20 cm away from the stem, dig a hole 10-15 cm deep. Insert the bottle into it with the lid down at an angle of 30-45 degrees. As you walk along the beds, fill your bottles with water. Through the holes in the lids it will slowly flow directly to the roots.
Drip irrigation. To do this, hang the bottles with the bottom cut off, the cork down, slightly to the side of the plants. Pour in water and adjust its flow by unscrewing the cap. The advantage of this method is that the water in bottles warms up well, which is beneficial for plants. To prevent drops from eroding the soil, place small, postcard-sized pieces of film.
Another interesting method of watering is a hose with holes along its entire length.
Dig it into the garden bed, having previously made holes near the desired garden plants, and connect it to the tap. Moisture will flow directly to the roots, without being spent on evaporation. Moreover, the soil around the weeds will remain dry. And this will negatively affect their growth.
Over the past 5–6 years, I have tried various devices for such watering.
Another way to make watering your garden beds easier
I continue to search for ways to save energy on watering my beds, writes one summer resident
I’m definitely already doing drip watering in my garden beds. I have already saved two barrels.
But here I came across another simple method, which is also easy to make yourself.
Watering vegetable crops at the dacha is always a problem both for those who live there permanently in the summer and for those who come on weekends.
Systematic watering requires a lot of effort and time.
After them, after a day or two, the soil must be loosened, especially on loams, otherwise a soil crust will form, which does not allow air to pass to the roots, cracks and tears the roots.
It is advisable to water with warm water.
Uneven watering creates increased humidity in greenhouses and shelters.
These problems are largely solved by drip irrigation.
For example, the simplest and most accessible to everyone.
I’ve been using it in my garden for many years now - using wicks I pump water to the roots of plants from various containers.
Water flows drop by drop from the container under the plant over a long period of time. I don’t know of a simpler, more reliable and cheaper way.
This type of irrigation allows water to be supplied directly to the root zone, using it very economically.
The most economical option is watering with a wick. Every two meters at soil level, dig in unnecessary but intact containers (plastic buckets, basins) and pour water into them.
Prepare a rope of fabric of the required length (wick). Dig it along a row of plants to a depth of 10-15 cm, and lower the end into a container of water.
The fabric will be saturated with moisture and transfer it to the plants.
In a plastic 2-liter bottle with a closed cap, I cut a hole on the side (you can leave it with a cap) for the wick and pouring water.
I place the bottle horizontally next to the plant with the hole facing up and lower a pre-moistened wick (1 cm wide cloth strip) into it.
Such a wick from a 2-liter bottle continuously pumps water under the plant in three days.
There is a circle of moist soil around the plant with a radius of 10–15 cm.
By adding water to the bottle every 2-3 days, I provide the plants with continuous watering. But, of course, it is better to organize subsoil irrigation.
I place the bottles next to the holes prepared for planting seedlings.
I lower the wick with one end into the bottle and the other to the bottom of the holes. At the same time, I put strips of film under the wick and on it so that the water does not evaporate from it.
I plant the plant in the hole and immediately hill it up. The soil around the plant remains dry and loose, which facilitates air penetration, and moisture flows through the wick directly to the roots.
To ensure that the water evaporates less and does not turn green, and the greens do not clog the wick, I close the bottle with a piece of black film.
I also cover the soil around the plant with the same film. Instead of bottles, you can use other containers.
They should be wide, but no more than 15–16 cm high, so that the wick can completely pump out the water.
For example, from a 10-liter canister lying on its side (a hole is cut in the other side to fill in water and wicks), two wicks pump out all the water in a week.
The speed at which water is pumped out by the wick is uneven - faster if the container is filled to the brim, and slower when there is half as much water left in it.
If the area is flat, for example, a garden bed, then you can do without containers. In recent years I have been watering tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage this way.
In the spring I add well-rotted organic matter to the beds. I dig up the soil and level it. Then, in the middle of the ridge, along its entire length, I dig a ditch 40–50 cm wide and 10–15 cm deep.
I also check its horizontality by level.
The bottom and side walls of the groove are compacted. Then, a strip of film (necessarily intact), which is 30–35 cm wider and longer than the groove, lines the bottom and its walls. Water is poured onto the film.
It turns out to be a mini-pool (Fig. 2). Along its long sides I mark places for planting and dig holes for planting seedlings. The wicks are laid out so that one end lies at the bottom of the groove, and the other at the bottom of the hole.
A strip of film is placed under each of them so that the wick does not touch the ground and only the end, 4–5 cm long, lies on the ground in the hole. The same strip is used to cover the top of the wick. Having planted the seedlings in the hole, water them well and immediately spud them up.
So that the water evaporates less, and most importantly, does not turn green and the greenery does not clog the wicks, I cover the pool groove with a strip or pieces of black film. If the bed is sloping, then you can make several pools on it on horizontal sections (steps).
As the wicks suck water out of the groove, add it every 12 to 14 days. In the greenhouse, to save land, I used a steel pipe with a diameter of 150 mm and a length of 6 m for irrigation.
The pipe is installed on supports strictly horizontally, its ends are plugged. Holes are drilled at the top for wicks, and an oval hole is cut at one edge for pouring water.
A year ago, I installed fittings from the drain tank (float and valve) into the pipe. As soon as the water level in the pipe decreases, the valve opens and water from the barrel by gravity (the barrel is installed above the pipe) fills the pipe, the valve closes.
My neighbor made a long narrow trough instead of a pipe. Thus, equipment for drip irrigation can be made from scrap materials, and the absence of any adjustments facilitates maintenance and makes the system trouble-free in operation.
The water in the container is filled with cold water and supplied to the plants with warm water. With this type of watering, the air in the greenhouse remains dry, water is used sparingly and is supplied directly to the roots.
The frequency of adding water to the container depends only on its volume. Thanks to the uniform supply of moisture to the plants, cabbage and tomatoes do not crack, and cucumbers do not become bitter.
It is also important that water in containers covered with black film heats up well on sunny days, and at night, when it cools, it heats the air.
By pouring filtered solutions of minerals or infusions of organic fertilizers into containers, you can fertilize by only reducing the concentration of the solutions.
After that Once all the crops are planted, the next questions arise: when, how and how much to water what is planted?
Many novice gardeners and vegetable gardeners self-confidently believe that this is as simple as shelling pears: if the soil is dry, water it. Meanwhile, watering also requires skill. It is bad, for example, to irrigate with water freshly taken from a well or underground well. It is too cold for plants and has a depressing effect on them. Therefore, water is first poured into barrels, allowed to warm up in the sun for a day or two, and then watered.
To save water and time, some gardeners practice the so-called surface watering. One watering can or bucket of water is enough for them to water 3-4 berry bushes or two fruit trees. Meanwhile, there is little benefit from such watering, since the moisture does not reach the roots of the plants. And after a day or two, seeing that the soil is dry again, watering is carried out again. And so all summer. As a result, the amount of water, the cost of time and effort is not only not saved, but increases significantly compared to those who do not frequent superficial, but abundant (or deep) watering. Experienced amateur gardeners claim that 3-4 deep waterings throughout the summer are quite enough for a good harvest of berries and fruit trees (for vegetable crops the watering regime is different).
After each heavy watering you need mulch the soil in a near-trunk circle (peat, earth, sawdust) or cover with scraps of felting felt, plywood, mown grass, and other materials at hand. Mulching performs several functions: it reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil, prevents the formation of an earthen crust, and inhibits the growth of weeds.
Naturally, different plants require different amounts of moisture during the growing season. Yes, for adults apple trees, for example, in Western Siberia, on average 4 deep irrigations are required.
1. During the budding period - 50 liters per m2.
2. After flowering - the same amount of water.
3. During the period of fruit filling - 50 liters.
4. The last fourth watering is moisture recharging, which is done late (50 liters).
They say they like a dry head but wet feet. Therefore, they are watered rarely, but accurately - only at the roots (in no case on the leaves!). The soil under the bushes needs to be soaked to a depth of no less than 35 cm - the roots of tomatoes extract water from low layers of soil. And then you should retain the moisture in depth by loosening, while letting the top layer of soil remain dry. Excessive watering contributes to late blight and other diseases. A deficiency leads to cracking of the fruit. You should water your tomatoes not “like everyone else,” but with cold water in the morning. Only such watering is useful and healing. Evening watering and even warm water are harmful to them - the roots of tomatoes do not like excessive heat. In July and August, you can water your tomatoes at night. 20-30 days before the end of the harvest, watering is stopped, this will speed up the ripening of the fruits.
Peppers, like tomatoes, do not require frequent watering. But the water should be warm, and they should be watered only at the root.
Carrot sits deep and can receive moisture from the lower layers of the soil. If you do not water it, the root crops will be irregular in shape and may crack. So during the ripening period of carrots, watering is very important. With a lack of moisture, root crops grow rough and woody. But with excess water, carrot tops grow greatly, and the growth of root crops stops. In July-August it is necessary to water at least once a week, even more often on hot days. Watering should be deep and only with warm water.
Beetroot You can water both at the roots and at the leaves, in dry times at least once every two weeks. With a lack of moisture, like carrots, the root crop turns out to be rough and woody.
Beans- the plant is heat-loving, but it does not tolerate heat and drought, so it cannot be done without rare but abundant watering.
You, of course, noticed that in the irrigation regime one stage of development of all plants is missing - flowering. The fact is that surface watering from a hose during flowering does not bring benefit, but harm, since the water washes pollen from the flowers and even knocks off the petals. If there is a need to water during the flowering period, then water should be supplied only to the base of the plants or to the tree trunk.
There are several watering methods. The most commonly used are from a hose (irrigation), from a watering can, from a bucket, from a ladle.
Less common, but more effective, are the following irrigation methods: cup irrigation, along furrows, through wells. The cup method is good for young seedlings of trees and shrubs. An earthen border 10-15 cm high and 25-30 cm wide is poured around the trunk. Water is poured into the resulting “bowl”, and when it is absorbed into the soil, it is mulched.
Furrow irrigation is best used along vegetable beds or strip plantings of trees and shrubs. For example, along a row of raspberries, currants, honeysuckle, furrows 10-15 cm deep are made on both sides at a distance of 25-30 cm from the center (for tree species - 20-25 cm). Water is poured into them. Then the furrows are covered with earth.
Wells are usually made around mature trees. Along the periphery of the tree crown, holes are dug with a width slightly larger than the size of a bayonet shovel, and they are filled 2/3 of the depth with gravel or broken brick. Through such wells, water quickly seeps to the roots. Liquid fertilizers are also supplied through them. For the winter, wells should be insulated with branches, coniferous spruce branches or other materials.
We must not forget that plants suffer not only from lack of moisture, but also from excess and her. The roots are oppressed by the fact that water displaces the oxygen (air) they need for breathing from the pores of the earth, and the soil becomes very compacted. Excess moisture can lead to complete death of the root system.
Simultaneously with watering, it is advisable to fertilize vegetable and garden crops, if necessary.
Every amateur gardener does this in his own way, as he is used to. Some, before spring digging or before loosening the soil, scatter organic matter or “garden mixture” along the beds or in tree trunk circles. Others prefer to apply fertilizer in a diluted form. First they feed and then water abundantly. Still others do not use mineral fertilizers at all. Their motto: only organic! The motto is good, but the problem is - where can I get it in the right quantity? Getting humus is a problem, and it’s quite expensive. Meanwhile, humus can be constantly produced on your site. All mowed weeds, fallen leaves, tops, in short, all garden and vegetable waste, as well as leftover food, waste rags, papers - put all this in a compost heap. To speed up the rotting process, shovel it from time to time, sprinkle the layers with lime, earth and regularly moisten it with water. After a year, excellent organic matter will be formed, which will be used to fertilize the beds.
In addition, you should not be afraid of the very concept of “mineral fertilizers”. They can really cause harm if used incorrectly. Strictly dosed use of mineral water, and even more so its combination with organic matter, brings undoubted benefits to plants.
Where did the water go?
It happens that you need to determine where and in what quantity water leaks during irrigation. The following method will be useful for this. Make a probe with two metal rings isolated from each other at the end, connected to a common electrical circuit (see figure). Now you don’t need to dig anything: you drive the probe into the ground and look at the galvanometer. As long as the soil is moist, the circuit is closed and the galvanometer displays current. The instrument needle jumped sharply to the side, which means that the probe has reached dry ground, all that remains is to look at the depth to which it sank.
To make life easier for gardeners and gardeners, design engineers and craftsmen are constantly inventing a variety of irrigation systems. There are many ways to water plants, from using a regular watering can to automatic watering systems. Which irrigation system is preferable to use at the dacha, how to properly organize watering of the site, what methods of installing irrigation systems are most popular - all this information is described in detail in this article.
Existing irrigation systems can be divided into four categories, each of which has characteristic advantages and disadvantages:
- surface watering;
- drip irrigation;
- subsurface irrigation;
- sprinkling.
Helpful advice! At your summer cottage, you can organize several irrigation systems, since each crop needs a certain moisture regime.
Surface irrigation is a less expensive irrigation option. Water is supplied to the plant through dug grooves directly from a hose, which can be connected to a centralized water supply system or to a barrel for irrigation in the country. You can buy a container of any capacity. The irrigation system is located on the surface of the ground, so installing it yourself is not difficult. This method deprives the roots of some oxygen, which can be detrimental to plants. Therefore, constant use of surface watering is not recommended.
Subsurface irrigation system for greenhouses
Subsurface watering is carried out using an irrigation system, which is located under the soil layer at a depth of 30 cm. Mini-holes are made throughout the entire area of the pipes, through which water flows to the roots of the plants. This system is most rational for green spaces such as trees, fruit bushes, and grapes. It is also successfully used in greenhouses where regular digging is not carried out. However, it can also be used in a summer cottage, planting annual plants depending on the location of the system.
This option promotes good oxygen access to the roots and does not require constant loosening of the soil. Underground irrigation is organized in areas with water scarcity, since this option reduces its consumption by half compared to the surface option. Watering can be carried out from a watering tank at the dacha.
Helpful advice! To minimize the likelihood of clogging the holes in the pipeline, a filter should be installed at the beginning of the irrigation pipe.
The system can be laid vertically at the time of planting the perennial plant. The planting hole is made 30 cm deeper and 20-25 cm wider than required for rooting the crop. The bottom is covered with a layer of crushed stone 20 cm high. The pipe is inserted vertically, plunging 7-10 cm into the thickness of the crushed stone. The length of the segment is selected taking into account the protrusion of part of the product above the ground surface by 10-12 cm. The pillow is covered with soil 10-15 cm thick. Open end closed with a plug.
Watering is carried out from a watering can or hose directly into the pipe. Water goes directly to the plant's root system, eliminating the need to moisten the top layer of soil. The irrigation rate depends on the climate zone of the area. For many plants of the same type, automated watering can be organized.
Rain garden watering system: features of the option
When organizing a sprinkler system, water in the form of drops gradually moistens the soil near the plant at a certain angle. This process is carried out using special sprinklers and sprinklers, which are installed in certain places of the summer cottage at a certain distance from each other. For areas completely covered with vegetation, such as lawns and flower beds, rotating sprinklers are provided that evenly moisten the soil around them.
Sprinkling promotes gradual, high-quality and deep moistening of the soil, due to which its structure is not damaged. With this method, the above-ground parts of the plant are saturated with moisture, which contributes to increased productivity. This is especially true for strawberry plantations. If the sprinkler nozzles are located under the tree crowns, they will simultaneously water and wash away dust and insects from the leaves. In addition, if lawn grass is planted under the trees, this is the most rational way to moisten it.
When setting up the device, you should focus on maintaining a balance between the intensity of rain and the ability of the soil to absorb water. Moisture must have time to be absorbed into the soil to prevent the formation of puddles and dirt. This can lead to the surface of the earth floating, which, after drying, will become covered with a crust, which will prevent the access of oxygen to the roots of plants.
One of the disadvantages is that water is sprayed unevenly during strong gusts of wind and insufficient pressure in the main system. Also, water can get not only into the beds, but also onto the paths.
The sprinkler system can be stationary or portable. In the first option, irrigation pipes are laid on top of the soil or mounted in the ground to a depth of 30-40 cm. In places where sprayers are installed, vertical sections of pipelines are brought to the required height. Sprinkler nozzles are attached to their ends.
When organizing portable irrigation, hoses are used for watering in the country. The best products are made from thermoplastic elastomer or PVC. Sprayers are installed at the ends of the hose. The products are placed in the required place for watering garden crops. For this system, it is convenient to organize, which will be programmed to turn on at the time most suitable for watering - in the evening. By morning, the water will be absorbed, and during the day you can loosen the soil to ensure oxygen access to the roots of the plant.
Operating principle and distinctive features of drip irrigation
The assembled system is connected to the main pipeline, then it is automated. After completion of the work, the system is tested. To do this, it is filled with water. If leaks are found, they must be repaired immediately. After the test, the trench is buried.
An irrigation system assembled with your own hands from high-quality material can last for many years, relieving site owners from routine and monotonous work. The main thing is to study the features of the chosen irrigation option, purchase the material, after which you can safely get to work.
