6. Good Organic Gardening - November-December 2016 AvxHome.in

WEEKEND GARDENING | Water wisdom
I’d take a stroll around in the late afternoon,
hose in one hand and the occasional glass of
wine in the other. It was wonderful therapy
after a hard day in the office.
How often and
when to water?
“For plants, it can vary depending on their
individual needs but in summer, water every
day if you have shallow-rooted vegetables;
for shrubs and trees, deep-water every week,”
says Jade. “In winter, knock that back to every
two to three days for vegetables, and a deep
water every month for shrubs and trees.”
Not sure if it’s time to water? To see if the
garden needs moisture, poke your finger
into the soil and if it comes out the colour
of the soil, it still has moisture. Or buy a
device that tells you when water levels need
topping up.
It’s not just how much but also when you
water that counts. Watering at the optimal
time reduces stress on plants, maximises
moisture uptake and uses less water. Watering
in the morning or early evening gives the
droplets of water time to work their way into
the soil before the sun dries them out.
Harvesting water
These days, you don’t need a lot of space to
fit a tank, which is good news with shrinking
house blocks. Slimline tanks can fit into small
spaces, and even a 2000L water tank is
enough to supply a small garden. If you have
no available space outdoors, go under the
house with a bladder tank.
Soil savers
Aside from establishing a watering regime, the
best way to keep moisture in the soil is to add
plenty of organic matter and mulch well to retain
moisture. You can also add soil-wetting agents,
but read labels carefully and use sparingly. Some
aren’t designed for organic gardeners.
Irrigation systems
Many gardening gurus will happily extol the
virtues of irrigation systems and timers. Once
you have established the water needs of your
plants and garden, they make life simpler and
reduce water wastage and time spent watering.
Drip irrigation systems are easy to DIY or, if
budget allows, you can choose pop-up irrigation
systems with multiple lines, computerised soilmoisture
sensors and more.
In small and potted gardens a
watering can is very targeted
Water tanks can be
compact enough to fit at
the side of most houses
Upended bottle
drip feeding
water to plant
Watering tips
Create a moat around a plant so, when
it rains, the water soaks in deeply.
Fill a plastic water bottle with water,
pierce a few holes in the lid, and
upend it near thirsty plants or newly
established shrubs so it drip-feeds
an individual plant.
Soaker systems are a cheap
alternative to drip irrigation systems.
Create natural windbreaks of
hedging plants such as lilly pilly or
clumping bamboo to moderate the
effects of drying.
CanStockPhoto, Kerry Boyne
52 | Good Organic Gardening