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Hello!
The arrival of summer brings rapid growth for our vegetables,
but with warmer days and settled weather comes the pressure to keep plants hydrated and happy.
If you're not careful, hot sunny days can make you a slave to the watering can
so it's time to get water-wise in the garden.
In this video, we share some simple tips for keeping the ground moist,
and your crops content, without rushing around.
Many gardeners water more often than necessary,
encouraging plans to produce shallow roots
that make them ever more dependent on you for water.
Encourage deeper roots by watering less often
so that roots draw on the moisture found further down in the soil.
A thorough soaking once a week is better than a sprinkling every two days.
In dry weather, prioritize seedlings over established plants
which need more water until they have developed their root systems.
Some crops need more water than others - for example leafy salads and celery.
Others appreciate extra water at crucial stages in their development -
for example peas, beans, tomatoes, squashes and cucumbers
as they come into flower and produce their pods or fruits.
Tall plants, such as climbing beans, will draw a lot of moisture from the soil
so will need watering considerably more often than other crops.
Some plants are surprisingly drought tolerant.
Parsnips and most types of carrot for example have long tap roots
that enable them to reach far down for moisture.
How you water is important.
Apply water as close to the roots as you can
and trying to avoid wetting the foliage, which is wasteful and can promote disease.
A watering can will help you to get in amongst the foliage,
and while you're doing so you can inspect your plans to see how they are getting on.
Never water in the middle of the day, when most of the moisture applied will quickly evaporate.
Sometimes the soil surface looks dry, when just beneath there's plenty of moisture.
Check by digging a hole to see how dry the ground really is - if it's moist where the roots are,
leave watering to another day.
Drip irrigation is the most efficient form of irrigation system
as it emits water close to the roots.
Add a timer to deliver the water early in the morning or in the evening,
when evaporation rates are lower and little will go to waste.
You can add irrigation set-ups to your garden plan
by selecting the irrigation layer from the toolbar
To select an item (for example a length of drip line), click once to pick it up,
move your cursor to where you want to place it, then click and drag to position.
You can create curves on irrigation tubes by clicking on the middle handles
then moving the cursor up or down.
For more advice on irrigation, click here to view our video on planning irrigation for your garden.
Plant strategically and save water.
For example, create miniature reservoirs for thirsty plants such as zucchinis
by banking up a miniature levee around each plant.
This holds the water you add in place, allowing it to slowly drain into soil rather than running off.
You can also sink plant pots into the soil, then water into these,
or cut the bottom off a plastic drinks bottle,
prick holes into the cap, then bury upside down into the soil and fill with water.
The water will slowly drain out from the holes
moistening the soil further down where the roots are.
If the weather is dry at sowing time, water along the seed drills before sowing.
Allow the water to drain away, then water again.
And then sow and cover over.
There's no need to add more water after covering the seeds.
They now have a perfectly moist, cool environment in which to germinate.
In hotter climates, you could also rig up some shading until your seedlings are well-established.
Planting out seedlings or young plants is a crucial time for watering.
Water into the planting hole before planting, set the plant into the ground,
then water again to settle the soil around the rootball.
The additional moisture around the rootball will get the plant off to a really strong start.
Larger containers dry out much more slowly than smaller containers.
If you aren't on hand to water as regularly as you'd like,
mix some water-retaining granules into the compost before planting.
Grouping pots together will help to raise humidity, thereby slowing evaporation.
Rainwater is better for plants than treated water.
In water-stressed areas in particular, using rainwater that falls on site
does a lot to conserve this valuable resource.
Collect as much of it as you can by installing water barrels to downpipes.
You can link up multiple barrels using connectors.
Water barrels can also be added to your garden plan.
Simply click to select, move to where you want it on the plan, then click and drag to place.
Use the corner handles to adjust its area to accurately reflect the size of your barrel.
Known as mulching, adding a layer of organic matter onto the soil surface
can dramatically slow evaporation from the ground.
Suitable mulches include dry grass clippings and garden-made compost,
topped up as necessary during the course of the growing season.
The best results come from repeatedly applying organic matter such as compost over a number of years.
All that organic matter works to gradually improve your soil structure
and its ability to hold moisture,
ultimately ensuring the health and vigour of your plants.
Feeding your soil with lots of organic matter
dramatically improves its ability to hold on to all that valuable soil moisture.
while watering exactly where it's needed, when it's needed, saves a lot of time and water.
We'd love to hear how you keep water-wise in the garden.
Share your tips by dropping us a comment below
and if you want more gardening advice to help you get the most from your growing, don't forget to subscribe!
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