White County
 Gardening
Podcast
July 16, 2008
Watering the Garden During the Summer (1:49 minutes)
Audio/Video Script:
Sherri Sanders
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
Hello this is Sherri Sanders, County Extension Agent – Agriculture in White
County. Summertime brings family vacations and many opportunities for homeowners
to neglect to properly water their landscape.
The amount of water that your garden will need is going to depend on the
weather conditions in your area. The primary rule of summer watering is to water
thoroughly and deeply each time and to allow the soil dry out between waterings.
Deep watering will allow the plant's roots to grow deeper, where they are less
likely to dry out, as well as the added benefit of anchoring the plant into the
ground better. Light, surface watering actually wastes water, because the water
never actually reaches the root zone of the plant, and the moisture rapidly
evaporates from the top inch of soil.
The best way to tell if your plants are receiving enough water is to take a
trowel or shovel and dig down a few inches. The soil should be moist at least 3
or 4 inches deep to insure that the water is reaching the root zone of the
plants. Of course, if you planted drought resistant plants in your garden, you
won’t have to water as often, but the principal of deep watering still applies.
As the weather dries out, your container plants may need daily watering,
especially if the pots are exposed to the drying sunlight. Push your finger into
the soil in your container plantings at least once a day (more often on hot, dry
days) to feel for moisture and be certain that plants are getting enough water.
Apply water until it runs out the drainage holes.
Try to do your watering during the morning hours so that the leaves can dry
off a bit before the hot sun hits them. Evening watering is sometimes acceptable
if the temperatures are warm enough to insure that foliage dries before the
temperature drops at night. (Wet foliage makes plants more susceptible to fungus
and disease.)
For additional information, please contact your local County Extension
Office. This has been Sherri Sanders in White county.
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