Different plants need different kinds of watering. Some veggies need more frequent and deeper watering than others. Seeds and seedlings need to be constantly moist. Although deep watering is sometimes best, over watering can also stress your plants. Of course, there will be a lot of variables to take into consideration – such as the amount of rain and other weather conditions. Do a simple moisture test with your finger on the top 2 to 4 inches of soil before you water. Be careful about the watering tips you see circulating on the internet or in Youtube videos!

Proper watering is critical to plant health

Just as soil health depends on the latest soil science – the same is true of about watering edible plants.The Deep Roots method creates the best environment for your plants because our compost used as soil has good drainage and lets the water get to the plant roots quickly. We recommend installing drip irrigation if you don’t have time to water or go out of town often. Take time to correctly set the irrigation timing and amount.

Keeping moisture in the soil is the key

Retaining as much moisture as possible saves watering time and keeps your plant healthy and happy. Our method use two layers – a one inch layer of compost covered by a couple inches of cut-up straw. Don’t use hay since it can add unwanted seeds to your garden. We grow our own straw by planting a large beautiful prairie grass called Miscanthus. Over winter the grass dries and in the spring we cut it down and store it in large barrels with lids. Keeping the straw dry is important.

DON’T water a little everyday!

Because It promotes shallow roots. One of the worst practices is to water your garden lightly every day or every few days. This frequent sprinkling provides water to only the top layer of the soil and promotes shallow root systems.

Simple, standard suggestions like: water every day and “make sure you give your plants an inch of water each week” are now being questioned and re-evaluated. Because the plant’s roots are not close to the soil surface, we now know that the water needs to get deep enough. AND the roots need to have enough time to soak it up will allow the plants to develop deep root systems that are necessary to be healthy.

But, be careful since over watering stresses many plants. If top 2 inches of soil feels dry it’s time to water. Soak the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Test for soil moisture also after you water.

Overhead watering (sprinklers) is the least efficient and least preferred method of watering. Far too much of the water is lost to evaporation. Water the soil, not the plants with a soaker hose, drip irrigation, watering can or watering wand. Overhead watering substantially increases the risk of fungal disease, especially in humid and rainy climates.

Watering tips from our horticulturist

• Some conventional soils can have drainage problems, so too much water does not allow plant roots to breathe and will cause plants to wilt from lack of oxygen.

• Don’t water too fast. Water gently at all times. When watering with a hose, avoid a hard stream of water, which risks injuring your plants and the soil. Use a steady, gentle shower of water instead – but only on the soil, not the plants.

• If you are using municipal water, put a water filter on your hose or water source. Municipal water often has levels of chlorine that kill essential microorganisms. There are also many harmful pollutants in some city water.

• Lack of water stresses plants. Drought may produce stunted fruit, produce no fruit at all, or may produce tasteless, woody, or unpalatable fruit.

• Over watering stresses plants. Over watering can cause as much stress as severe drought. Too much water will saturate soils, displace air which starves the roots of oxygen. The compost Deep Roots uses instead of conventional soil (Microbe Rich Compost) has good drainage properties.

• Keep SEEDS moist at all times. Germinating seeds must be constantly moist. Watering seeds twice a day may be needed on dry hot days. It’s easiest to let drip irrigation water your seeds. Some gardeners without irrigation have found a work-around that saves time and constant attention.

• Place a board or large tiles over tiny carrot seeds. This keeps the moisture in the soil longer and protects them from being washed away by heavy rain. Make note of how many days it takes for the first sign of germination. Check the seeds everyday when it is close to germination. Remove the cover when the first seed sprouts. Some seeds will sprout sooner and some later. Carrot seeds are very tiny and need to be kept constantly moisturized more carefully.

• Keep SEEDLINGS moist at all times and water daily or more often for 2 weeks. When the seedling is at least 5 inches tall its roots are stronger and constant monitoring is not necessary. Test soil before and after watering and water gently and deeply as needed.

• Don’t over water seeds! Finding the right amount of water for your seeds is difficult. Not enough and they will not germinate - BUT too much and they could rot. Just to be safe - water seeds lightly twice a day - you just need to moisten the top layer.

• When plant leaves wilt on a very hot day, it could be from the heat and not lack of water.

• Prune off lower foliage of plants prone to fungal diseases that prefer damp environments like powdery mildew on cucumbers and squash) and like tomato blights. Water very close to the soil with a watering wand on a hose or a watering can. Avoid wetting the leaves. Water early in the day

• Health of mature plants is dependent on correct watering. Remember that large plants need a lot more water than seedlings. We want mature plants to have deeper roots that suck lots of water out of the soil.

• A drip irrigation system nurtures healthier plants and less stressed gardeners. If you can’t or don’t want to water and monitor your soil moisture constantly get a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation should be the watering method of choice. It will save you time and make your plants stronger, happier and healthier. The larger your garden the more critical drip irrigation becomes. Contact the Deep Roots team for advice on installing the new system we designed.

“GrowYour Own Food” blog posts

Questions, comments, suggestions? We’d love to hear from you! Send photos of your garden too! 

See the full list of our Grow Your Own Food blog posts. Our blog posts are divided into 6 categories –  each with its own page of blog post photos and summaries. 

Questions, comments, suggestions? We’d love to hear from you! If you need a quick answer to a gardening question give us a call or send a text. We are here to solve your gardening problems. Please call OR text our Customer Service team at 708-655-5299 OR send an email to: support@deep-roots-project.org.

Deep Roots online store

See our online store for details about prices, ordering and delivery of raised beds, planter boxes, microbe-rich compost, worm castings, leaf mulch and more. We don’t sell traditional soil, since we use 100% compost as our growing medium. Our online store has 2 sections – (1) raised beds and planter boxes and (2) compost, worm castings, fertilizer.

Please contact our customer support team before placing an order online so we can assist you with the details and answer your gardening questions. You can pay by credit card on the store or by check.

(708) 655-5299 and support[at]deep-roots-project.org        

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