Watering a garden seems like a no-brainer, right? Just water your plants, and they’ll flourish; however, there is a strategy to a well-watered garden that involves everything from when to water to how to conserve moisture. Employ these easy tips to keep your garden green and flowering all season long.
Timing: Plan a frequent watering schedule. Morning hours, typically between 5 to 9 a.m., are best. Giving your plants a drink at this time of day prepares them for the coming sun and heat by allowing the soil to hold water over an extended period of time. This timing also saves water by letting the plants drink more because they lose less moisture to evaporation. Avoid watering toward nightfall when water can gather in the soil around the roots, causing fungal growth and root rot. Evening watering can additionally attract harmful insects.
Watering frequently also helps build stronger plants with deeper roots, ensuring they’ll survive better when the high heat of summer starts taking its toll. Established garden beds usually require at least two to three times a week, whereas containers may need daily watering. Young plants and transplants will require more frequent watering until they become established.
Steady Does It: If you want to make sure that your plants are getting the most bang for your water bill, take a slow approach. Water gradually, allowing water to puddle at the base of a plant and then absorb. This lets the moisture penetrate the soil deeply and cuts down on evaporation and run off. A drip system, whether it’s a soaker hose or a recycled milk jug with holes poked in the bottom, can be useful tools for slow-dose watering that penetrates down deep to the roots.
Keep an eye to the sky: Or at least a weather app or local weather anchor. It might seem like common sense, but planning watering around natural precipitation can go a long way toward conserving water. If a good rainfall is moving in, keep the hose off and conserve water.
Rain barrels: These large containers catch rain water that pours from rooftops and are an ideal way to conserve water. This water can be used for several purposes, most commonly gardening, as the natural water is healthier for plants. The contaminants it picks up on roofs (like animal feces) is harmful to humans, so be sure not to use it on edible plants. Your flowers and greens, however, will be grateful for the temperate, fertilizer-rich quenching, and your wallet will thank you for saving that hose water.
Make Your Bed: When planning your garden, mulch is key. Not only does it keep down weeds, which will syphon off water and compete for nutrients with your plants, but it also helps retain and extend available moisture. Mulch also helps protect plants during temperature swings and extremes and prevents soil erosion, which both play major roles in water conservation. As natural mulch breaks down, it also adds valuable nutrients to the soil to help feed your plants. Just a thin layer of about an inch or two is all your garden needs. Avoid techniques like “volcano” mounds of mulch often piled around tree bases. This can cause bark decay and harm root growth by smothering roots, which need to breathe. Volcanoes may also trigger the build-up of manganese, which is toxic to plants.
Strategic Plantings: When adding to your garden, opt for native plants, which are not only beautiful and attract pollinators, but also tend to be drought resistant. Think plants like coneflowers and goldenrods, both common to Nebraska prairies. These plants tend to use 85% less water and remain hardy even as temperatures soar. Bonus: these low-water plants require minimal maintenance. Also consider grouping similar plants together, which helps cut down on the amount and frequency of watering.
For more gardening tips, visit extension.unl.edu/statewide/antelope/yard-garden-resources.
This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of Omaha Home magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
