ON THE GARDEN PATH by Carolyn Herriot

After a long, wet winter spent cursing all the rain, the sun is back again, which means the garden is drying out. It’s a challenge to stay on top of watering once the weather warms up, so getting into a regular watering schedule is important.

Rules for outdoor watering
When it’s cool at night, water in the morning. Young plants don’t enjoy being cold at night. Cold, wet soils lead to fungal problems. If a plant is seriously wilted, water it regardless of the time of day. A one-inch depth of water at a time is sufficient.
Tip: To measure this, check how long your system takes to fill a tin can to a depth of one inch. That is the length of time you should use your system for each watering. One good weekly watering is better than brief daily waterings. Roots seek water. Water penetration encourages roots to grow more deeply. Surface roots are vulnerable to desiccation. Put drought-resistant plants in areas that are difficult to water.
Tip: Group plants with similar watering requirements together.

Did you know?
An existing border with mulch can go seven days between waterings. Sandy soils need more watering than clay soils. Water runs off slopes and berms very quickly without soaking in. Terracing helps prevent water run-off. Lawns are major consumers of water.
Tip: Why not plant an eco-meadow of yarrow, speedwell, clover and English daisy where a lawn struggles to thrive? It needs very little water and no fertilization and looks beautiful in bloom. Best yet, it only has to be mowed every four weeks! Mulching on steep slopes, windy sites and between exposed plants reduces evaporation, protects plants and smothers weeds.

Overwetting?
Overwatering wastes water. Many plants require no more water than Mother Nature supplies, so gardeners often lavish their gardens with regular waterings unnecessarily. Half the water we put on our lawns is lost to runoff, when really it takes only one inch of water per week to ensure deeper root systems, which fare best in periods of hot, dry weather.
Having said that, it’s important to remember that there’s no such thing as a drought-tolerant plant until it’s become well established. All plants need regular watering from the time they are planted until they are well rooted, but most take just one growing season to establish.
Slow-growing trees and shrubs can take two or more seasons. Watering newly-planted shrubs often and lightly encourages roots to grow close to the surface, making them vulnerable to drought. Deeper root systems mean plants become drought tolerant once they are established and can be weaned off watering to the point where natural rainfall satisfies their needs.
Tips:
• Avoid excessive water loss from evaporation by watering in the early morning (ideally before 9 AM).
• Avoid windy days to prevent wastage from wind drift.
• Add organic soil mulches to increase the water-holding capacity of the soil and to lock in moisture.
Water is not an infinite resource, so by using it sparingly we help ensure there’s enough for us all. A brown lawn, which recovers in fall, is a small sacrifice to make to conserve water.

From A Year on the Garden Path: A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide by Carolyn Herriot. Second edition $24.95. Available from your favourite bookstore or order online at www.earthfuture.com/gardenpath.

From A Year on the Garden Path: A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide by Carolyn Herriot. Second edition $24.95. Available from your favourite bookstore or order online at www.earthfuture.com/gardenpath.