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Watering

Conserving water is not only a way to save money, it’s become a necessity in some drought-plagued parts of the country. Here are some guidelines to help you get the most from the water you use - and help save money, too.

Water requirements of plants

High temperature and low humidity cause plants to give off (transpire) huge quantities of water into the air, creating a drain on soil reserves. Under these conditions, a large, mature tree releases as much as 200 gallons of water a day. Small plants release much less, but the actual quantity surprises many people.

A block of sweet corn often transpires more the 12 surface inches of water in a season. The average tree, shrub, or flower can grow without regular feeding or cultivation, and even survive several insect attacks. But let it go dry for only a short time, and growth is stunted severely - or the plant dies. Plants require water for every physiologic function, so adequately supply your with moisture.

How much to water

No rule applies to all plants, but a good one to follow is to supplement rainfall until you’ve supplied plants with one inch a week. When you water the lawn or garden, mark a one-inch level inside three one-pound coffee cans and space them within an area covered by a sprinkler. If less than one inch of rain falls during the week following the last watering, run the sprinkler until water reaches the one-inch mark. Empty the cans and reset them each time you move the sprinkler.

Deep watering

This saves both time and money. Water applied to only the top inch or two of soil is wasted because it evaporates before the plants can use it. Roots will penetrate deeply into moist soil. Top growth depends on a continuous supply of deep water to promote strong supporting roots - especially important for trees in windy regions.

Light watering results in shallow root systems. Hot midsummer sun and wind will dry out surface soil in a few days, leaving the plants high and dry. For this reason, let sprinklers or trickle systems do the watering. Few of us will patiently hold a hose long enough to supply sufficient amounts of water over large areas.

Soil amendments

You can save moisture and improve the structure of any common soil by spading in leaf mold, compost, peat moss, aged sawdust, or other partially decayed organic matter. All act like sponges.
Sandy soil dries out at least three time faster than clay and twice as fast as loam. Adding organic matter improves the tilth of all three. It binds sandy soil for better water retention, and opens up clay and heavy loam soils for better penetration by water and air. Mulches also will save soil moisture.

Water robbers

Weeds in your lawn and garden steal water and plant food from the soil - sometimes more than the plants use themselves. Eliminate them with a hoe or other hand tool when they are small.

Wind is another robber. Prevailing winds injure a garden or lawn by increasing soil water evaporation and plant transpiration. Avoid much of this moisture loss by establishing windbreaks, such as evergreens or a fence designed to reduce the force of winds.

What plants have priority?

Some won’t survive unless the soil is reasonably moist at all times. Care for these first if you do not have enough time or water to cover everything. Bluegrass lawns often turn brown in summer heat and drought. Don’t worry about your lawn if you have other plants need water more. This only means the grass is dormant, not dead; it will turn green again when cooler weather and fall rains stimulate new growth.

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Start with a simple hydroponic setup, and your interest will grow as plants flourish. The systems shown in this article are inexpensive but vary in the time they will require to put your mini-farm together.

The least expensive hydroponic system is also the easiest to operate. In fact, your children may become experts in hydroponics with this beginner’s special. Fill an ordinary flowerpot with perlite. Add the your, sturdy plant, gently cover bare roots with perlite. Pour a cup of nutrient solution through the perlite once or twice a day, depending on the strength of the solution, and catch the drainage in a bowl. The solution can be reused for a week. (Old solution may be used on lawn or garden.) Although hydroponic gardening is not completely free of problems, you won’t have to fertilize regularly to get healthy plants.

If your more adventurous, try one of these other ways of applying the nutrient solution.

Siphon-feed Method of Hydroponics

A variation of the basic watering method described above makes plant care almost automatic, allowing you to leave plants unattended for several days at a time. Place a container (such as a glass jug, available from wine-maker supply stores, or an old thermos jug with spigot at the bottom) of nutrient solution above the plant container’s soil level, and connect tubing so liquid can be either gravity fed or siphoned (see illustration at right). A clamp (such as those available from sickroom supply stores and some hardware or automotive equipment stores) attached to the tubing will regulate the flow; this way just the right amount of solution goes through. Be sure to set the planter on a tray or something similar to catch drips.

Wick System of Hydroponics

Here’s another way to escape daily watering. This system provides feeding through the bottom of the planter, using wicks dipped in a container of the nutrient solution. The wicks or cords should be made of synthetic fiber, either nylon, rayon, or polyester. First, test the wick to see whether it draws moisture up its entire length by placing the end of a six-inch cord into water.

The end of the wick inserted into the artificial soil should be spread out on the bottom of the plant container so nutrients will be distributed evenly throughout. The wick then is passed through the drainage hole into the second receptacle filled with the solution. For best results, place the container of nutrient solution directly underneath the planter. Several wicks can be used to supply the solution to the plants; sim;y drill holes in the bottom of the planter. The wicks will carry the solution up to keep the medium moist.

Soluble salts from the water in the nutrient solution will build up gradually in the growing medium because of evaporation. This will eventually inhibit plant growth. To avoid the problem, clean the growing medium thoroughly every few months by running tap water through the medium several times.

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Mulches provide many benefits. A three-inch layer of mulch conserves moisture, keeps the soil cooler for better plant growth, and cuts down on time spent weeding. It blocks the sunlight which weed seedlings need to thrive.

The best and easiest way to conserve soil moisture in flower beds and around trees is by mulching. A two inch mulch of grass clippings, straw, ground corncobs, or other material can cut water loss due to evaporation from soil as much as 50 percent. Mulching insulates the soil against hot sun and drying winds; it eliminates rain-compacted soil that keeps oxygen from penetrating the root zone.

Mulches not only prevent water loss, they actually can cause moisture to be added to the soil. Moisture warm air invades the interior of the porous mulch and condenses when the air comes in contact with the cooler soil surface. Research shows that when air temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a three inch mulch can keep soil underneath up to 25 degrees cooler. This not only conserves moisture; it also promotes better root growth and more efficient uptake of water and nutrients. When soil temperature is high, roots stop growing, and plants suffer - even if moisture is plentiful.

Apply mulch in late spring or early summer. Wait until the heavy spring rains are over and the ground has warmed up enough to be tillable.

Mulch also to decrease rapid runoff of rainwater, and to prevent dirt from splashing on both flowers and food crops. As organic mulches decompose, cultivate them into the soil to improve its tilth, then put down a fresh layer of mulch.

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