As August rolls around in Ohio, we often experience a drier time of year. People often wonder if they should water their gardens and, if so, how much and how often.

A good general rule of thumb is 1 to 2 inches of water per week with deep, infrequent watering. Some of the needed water may come in the form of rainfall. If you need to water because of the lack of rain, consider your soil type, the weather conditions, and the plants you want to water. 

If your soil is sandy, it will hold less water and dry out. If your soil is clay, it is susceptible to overwatering and holds the water, often for too long. Applying compost and/or mulch will help either soil type to hold the moisture and provide nutrients to the soil. Healthy soil drains better, but still allows some water retention. When there is a favorable water to air balance and even moisture in the soil the plants will grow better. 

Weather needs to be taken into consideration. If it has been hot and dry, obviously more water will be required. Little rain showers that don’t do more than settle the dust really don’t help the garden. The best time of day to water is early in the morning. This will reduce evaporation. Evening is the second best time of day, but if watering in the evening it is important to keep the foliage from getting wet to avoid fungal issues.

Many annuals and vegetable plants have shallow root systems anyway and require frequent watering. The infrequent, deep, slow watering will promote deeper, stronger root systems on the plants. Container plants may require watering every day, or sometimes multiple times per day if it is an extremely hot day. 

How you water is important, too. Overhead sprinklers are not the best option. They waste too much water, the foliage gets wet, and it is harder to target specific plants. Soaker hoses or drip irrigation is a much better choice. It allows you to direct the water directly towards the roots of the plants, keeping the foliage dry. It also saves 30 to 70 percent of the water used by a sprinkler. These systems allow you to deliver smaller quantities of water at a slow, steady pace, creating a desirable water to air balance in the soil and more even soil moisture. Of course, you can also water each plant by hand, but that might take a while.


Read or Share this story: