Plants cannot live without water. If wild grasses are able to be content with rain, then cultivated plants need watering. When is it better to water the garden - in the morning or in the evening, how to do it correctly and in a timely manner, this article will tell.

What types of watering exist

According to the purpose of irrigation, they are divided into the following types:

  • moisture charging is performed to create a moisture reserve in the soil. This can be moistening the beds before planting seedlings or before filling the containers with soil for planting;
  • post-sowing (or pre-sowing) - moisten the soil to the depth of the seeds;
  • refreshing is carried out in hot weather using a sprayer. It is also called sprinkling;
  • fertilizer - for applying dissolved and liquid fertilizers to the soil;
  • anti-freeze - in early spring or late autumn, the foliage is completely wetted;
  • vegetative - this is the main type of irrigation that nourishes plants in the process of their growth. The depth of moistening should be at least 40 cm.

    Watering cabbage

According to the method of irrigation, they are also divided into types: manual or machine sprinkling, overflow irrigation (under the root), underground, spraying.

Note! Water application rates vary depending on the growing period, soil type and climatic conditions.

To supply moisture to the plants constantly and dosed, drip irrigation is called upon. Its equipment will take time and will require certain costs, but it will free you from the need to carry a heavy watering hose and will allow you to do other things while watering.

Drip irrigation systems are commercially available, or you can make them yourself. Advantages of drip irrigation:

  • water comes directly under the root of the plant;
  • together with moisture, you can make top dressing;
  • constant maintenance of soil moisture;
  • you can select the desired mode.

The disadvantages include the monetary costs of pipes, pump and fittings.

The simplest drip irrigation option is to use plastic bottles with holes made in them, through which water gradually flows to the stem.

Drip irrigation

When to water the garden

In order to properly water the garden, it is important to know what time of day it needs to be done.

What time of day to water the garden

Why can't you water plants in hot weather? Choose a time when the water will evaporate the least. In hot summertime, it can be late evening or early morning. It is desirable that the weather be calm. Is it possible to water the garden in the heat? Yes, if the plants are clearly dehydrated, their leaves have wilted, and the earth is cracked from drought, you need to start watering immediately, regardless of the time of day.

In cool weather, watering is best in the afternoon or morning. Evening in cold weather is undesirable, because by the night the water will not have time to absorb well, this can lead to illness. The depth of moistening the earth should be at least 40 cm (shovel bayonet), water must be poured at the root, and not on the leaves.

Watering after rain

If it rained, it makes sense to check to what depth it has soaked the soil. In summer it often happens that it is a centimeter and a half, and below the ground is dry, in which case you need to water!

DIY watering

How often to water the plants

There is such a rule: water infrequently, but abundantly. Wetting the surface will do nothing but harm, because after it a harmful soil crust forms, and the roots remain dry. Excessive watering of the garden is also harmful, root decay occurs from it, harmful bacteria and viruses multiply. The amount of water required by a plant depends on the stage of its development. Seeds and seedlings take less moisture than an adult plant with deep roots.

Different soil types require different amounts of water. Clay soils and loams hold water better than sand, so sandy soils require more frequent and abundant watering.

You can understand whether the earth needs moisture by sticking a shovel and removing a lump from a depth of 20 cm.If this portion can be squeezed and it does not crumble, then the earth is sufficiently moistened, if a drop of liquid is released when pressed, it is waterlogged, and do not irrigate for two weeks follows. And if the lump does not work out, you need to water it.

Note! To keep the moisture in the soil from evaporation, it is recommended to apply mulching.

Watering frequency depends on the type of plant. Especially often cabbage and cucumbers are irrigated, in hot weather every day. If the weather is cool, it is advisable to carry out loosening (dry watering) instead of watering. Tomatoes are watered much less often and exclusively at the root.

Do I need to water vegetables after transplanting

How often should the seedlings be watered after planting them in the ground? Before planting, the soil is spilled with water (water-charging irrigation). After planting, the plant is also watered, and then everything will depend on the condition of the soil and the type of plants. As a rule, in the open field during the first week, seedlings are watered daily until they take root. Then the number of watering is reduced to 2 - 3 times a week, then once a week or 3-4 times for the entire summer period, depending on the type of plant.

How many times a day to water the garden

Plants in raised, vertical beds, containers and greenhouses dry out much faster, they are watered 2 times a day, the rest - no more than once.

When is the best time to water flowers - in the morning or in the evening? Evening watering is preferable, in this case the earthen lump will be able to retain moisture longer.

Watering flowers

Is it possible to combine watering with dressing

Top dressing must be combined with watering so as not to burn the roots with a fertilizer. You can water without fertilization, but you cannot fertilize without watering.

What feed is better to use

Top dressing is chosen depending on the phase of plant development: at the beginning of the growing season - fertilizers with nitrogen to accelerate the growth of green mass, during flowering and fruit setting - with a predominance of potassium and phosphorus. Organic fertilizers should be alternated with mineral fertilizers.

Fertilizing the garden with folk remedies

Can soapy water be used as fertilizer? Some gardeners noticed that the soapy water poured under the bush improved its condition. The fact is that such water can deoxidize the soil. If the acidity of the soil under the bush exceeded the norm, then soapy water can have a beneficial effect. Conclusion: a weak soap solution will not bring harm, and with increased acidity of the soil it can be beneficial.

Top dressing of pepper

Feeding with whey obtained in the manufacture of yogurt has become widespread. This product contains many vitamins and beneficial bacteria that inhibit harmful fungi. What can be poured with whey in the garden? Feeding with whey has a beneficial effect on cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes and berry crops.

Seawater is considered harmful to plants, although a Dutch farmer recently developed potato and carrot varieties that can grow in salty seawater.But seaweed fertilizers are very effective. Kelp (seaweed) dressing for indoor plants has become widespread.

Gardeners have long and successfully used tincture of iodine, yeast, tea and coffee, and onion husks as fertilizers. On the basis of these substances, infusions are prepared, which are dissolved in water in the right proportions and are applied to the beds after watering.

Iodine for fertilizers

What water to water the garden

For irrigation, you can take river water, from a well, a well and tap water. Only each of them should be prepared for watering in a proper way. The most useful water is rainwater, of course, if it is not “recharged” from a nearby chemical plant. Water from a well or well must be kept in a container for some time so that it heats up, and the water supply must be defended so that chlorine comes out. River water must also settle, as it may contain harmful suspended matter.

Is cold water suitable for irrigation

The irrigation water temperature can fluctuate between +15 - +20 degrees. Plants get sick from icy water, and hot fruits crack.

Important! You cannot water with boiled water, it is poor in oxygen and other useful substances.

Cold water is allowed to water frost-resistant crops (cabbage, carrots), and only at a time when the weather is cool. A large difference between air temperature and water temperature is always undesirable.

Is it possible to water the garden with rusty water from a barrel

It all depends on what was in that barrel before. If it's only a matter of rust, then you can, if the water is not too red. Many gardeners believe that this will saturate the soil with iron, but still it is better to use special preparations with iron for feeding.

Watering features: corn, beans, radish and other vegetables

In the process of growth, corn consumes a lot of water (from 2 to 4 liters per day), but it suffers from waterlogging of the soil. The moisture content of the soil under corn should be 70 - 80%. How to water corn in the field? A good effect is given by drip irrigation of corn and irrigation with sprinkler equipment for mass cultivation of crops.

Drip irrigation of corn

Another moisture-loving culture is beans. After sowing the seeds and until 4 - 5 true leaves appear, she needs constant regular watering. At the stage of development of the fifth leaflet, watering is stopped, and during the budding period, they begin to water again every 7 days. Water must be defended. When the beans begin to ripen, watering must be stopped again.

Before sowing the radish, the soil is irrigated with water. Then watered as the soil dries. In a polycarbonate greenhouse, watering is carried out twice a month, it should be watered abundantly (from 8 to 10 liters per 1 kW m).

At the beginning of its growth, carrots are often watered; during this period, little water is required. It is important to control the depth of irrigation and avoid excess moisture. With the growth of the root, water is less often, but the water consumption increases.

Important! In hot summer, the roots of carrots are unable to absorb cold water, therefore, no matter how much water is supplied, the carrots will not be watered. Even from cold water, the plant can get sick with root rot.

What needs to be watered in August in the garden? If it is still hot in this region at this time, then watering of most garden crops continues, as well as berry bushes and strawberries.

Stop watering the onions and garlic before harvesting. Tomatoes ripen in August, watering them at this time is also not necessary. But moisture-loving cucumbers still require watering with warm, settled water. It requires watering the garden in August and cabbage, without it the forks will be loose.

Competent watering of the garden means adhering to the terms and norms of moisture. He is able to ensure the growth and development of vegetable crops, obtaining a rich harvest with minimal labor costs.