Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
#77737 Jun 27th, 2007 at 05:46 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
I kind of wanted to hear what everyone does here to water their gardens. I laid soaker hoses but even watering 8 hours doesn't make it very wet. I need to water every 2-3 days. I have been letting them run through the night to make the hose available for me to sprinkle the lawn in the day. But do you think it is still ok to soaker at night? I assumed because it wasn't touching the plants it would be fine. Also I have watered overhead two or three times this season in the morning. Today I fertilized with a side dressing and then watered overhead. But I hate doing it because I have had fungus problems. Most of my garden is covered with weed blocker which keeps the water needs down a little but the tree roots soak up so much that it has been a pain to water. I wondered how many water overhead and how many use soaker hose or water by hand.

Tamara from Minnesota #77774 Jun 27th, 2007 at 07:36 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,237
1k Posts
Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,237
With 25" of rain this year, I haven't needed to water at all. It has rained at least 5-6" this week already.


[Linked Image]

One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them in the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.
Amigatec #77804 Jun 27th, 2007 at 10:07 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 22
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 22
We have had lots of rain this year as well so I haven't watered much at all.

I do however keep the in ground watering cones for my tomatoes (and a few pepper plants) so that they have access to water straight to the roots (I fill them usually 2-3 times a week). Must have worked because my tomatoes are going absolutely nuts on me and my once dying peppers have made an impressive comeback.



~Karen~

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion
HummingbirdMO #77971 Jun 28th, 2007 at 07:01 AM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,183
5k Posts
Offline
5k Posts
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,183
Last year, I used soaker hoses then tore them out because they didn't water very evenly. I used a hose, with no attachments and the water only half-way on, and watered the based of each plant. I had to water 2-3 times a day because I had no mulch, high heat, and sandy soil. This year I've mulch and am watering the base of each plant once a day. I don't water overhead, unless it's freshly planted seeds, even then, as soon as I see green, I stop.

I've got some tree roots in my garden, we yank them out every spring and they quickly grow back. They make life miserable, don't they?


Sarah - Zone 5b/6
LandOfOz #78424 Jun 28th, 2007 at 05:47 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
We've used soaker hoses and had to take them out. With out clay type of soil it did not water correctly. The plants did ok but the soil in between the rows was rock hard from lack of moisture. We've now gone back to sprinkling and I have to sprinkle when there's no wind. Usually early mornings or evenings. So far no problems with fungus. I guess our windy area dries the plants off before night.


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Rosepetal #78500 Jun 28th, 2007 at 07:43 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Are you guys talking about the green, lawn soaker hoses or the black, recycled tire kind? I have the black kind and usually they water ok, except that they peeter out at the end. I just wind the end around and put the beginning where more water is needed. I have noticed how hard the ground does get though. hmmm

Tamara from Minnesota #79108 Jun 29th, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
We used the black ones and just did not like the results with our clay type soil.


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Rosepetal #79182 Jun 29th, 2007 at 05:40 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,237
1k Posts
Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,237
One thing about saoker hoses is they like to plug up, I just take mine and strech them a little bit and breaks all the crap looses and they water real good for a few months.


[Linked Image]

One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them in the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.
Amigatec #79206 Jun 29th, 2007 at 06:51 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
So do you think using the soaker at night will cause fungus like watering overhead? It is starting to get humid here.

Tamara from Minnesota #80087 Jun 30th, 2007 at 09:50 PM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,229
1k Posts
Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,229
Originally Posted by Tamara from Minnesota
So do you think using the soaker at night will cause fungus like watering overhead? It is starting to get humid here.


Most fungal problems come from the leaves being wet at night. Night watering is fine if it's at ground level, like with soaker hoses.. Some of those hoses don't water very evenly and there are areas that don't get enough while others get too much. I have tried them but i don't really like them. I like to hand water vegies in the mornings, so the leaves have time to dry off but the most important thing is that i mulch heavily so any water i use isn't evaporated off. It also helps prevent water splashing from the soil onto the lower leaves, which is how some fungus are spread around. You really shouldn't have to water all night every night. That's a huge use of water. Something isn't right.


The secret is the soil.
Longy #83007 Jul 5th, 2007 at 07:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
I water every two or three nights. I am sorry if I didn't communicate that well. It is barely enough though if there is no rain. I am afraid I don't have time to hand water very often. It is soaker hoses or sprinklers. I watered by hand the other afternoon and it took an hour. I don't have that in the morning unfortunately since I bike or run then. I wish it was easier. As it is though, now I have a motion detector for rabbits and so now I probably won't water at night that often- I could drag two hoses out there I suppose.
Oh and about the uneven watering, I have tried to counter that by how I set them up, more loops at the end knowing the beginning will have more water, but as I said it isn't working that well.
Another question I had was when do you start witholding water from onions, garlic and potatoes? I always forget that.

Tamara from Minnesota #83025 Jul 5th, 2007 at 09:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
Onions and carrots don't need much water once they are the size you want them to be. With carrots too much water will cause them to crack.


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Rosepetal #84202 Jul 7th, 2007 at 05:42 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 378
Thanks, that sounds simple. grin

Unfortunately my onions are nowhere near the size they were last year. We ate them until April. I don't think that will happen this year. badday


Link Copied to Clipboard
Seasonal Ticker
Gardening Links
Gardening in February
Gardening in March
Gardening in April


Shop at Amazon and Support AGF
Are you shopping online? Click this link first and A Gardeners Forum will receive a commission for your referral at Amazon.com (shopping through this link to Amazon will not have any impact on your prices at Amazon).
Like Us on Facebook
Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics14,312
Posts240,811
Average Daily Posts3
Members16,004
Most Online10,356
Nov 2nd, 2019
Top Posters(30 Days)
Random Gallery Image
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5