Caring For Plants If you simply dig a hole, stick in a plant and hope for the best you aren’t going to get the best results. To keep your garden in peak growing condition you should become familiar with the best ways to make your plants happy. Each of the following sections deals with a specific topic but you should read them all before you start gardening. Watering An average garden needs about 1" (2.5 cm) of rainfall each week. Some plants require more moisture while others prefer less. How often your garden will need watering will be influenced by the following factors:
type of plants (each type grows at a different rate), soil absorption rate and ability to retain moisture exposure to sun and wind, depth and type of mulch amount of recent rainfall and the amount of organic matter in the soil. Each of these will affect how quickly your garden dries and how often you will have to replenish it. Some sprinklers have a volume gauge built that you can set for the amount of water you want to fall on your garden. Use any clean, straight-sided container like a soup can or a glass jar. Use a permanent marker and a ruler to measure and mark every 1/4" (.5 cm) on the outside of the can starting at the bottom. Find an unsheltered spot in the garden that receives an average amount of rainfall and sprinkler water. Make sure nothing hangs over the mouth of the jar. Push the can a little way into the soil so that it won’t fall over. After each rain or watering measure the amount of water in the can and record it in your Garden Journal. Always give your garden a thorough watering rather than just a light sprinkle. This will encourage the roots to grow deeper and keep them strong. Water your garden between 8 and 11 a.m. for best results. This does several things: Your plants will dry off properly and the leaves won’t get mouldy or start to rot. The roots will store the moisture so they can spend the rest of the day growing and resting. Water acts like a magnifying glass on the leaves during the heat of the day and it can cause them to burn. Put up a windbreak or fence around your garden to reduce the amount of evaporation from the leaves that wind causes. Make sure it isn’t so high that it casts shade over your plants. Good mulching will also decrease the amount of water you need to give your garden. If your garden still dries out too quickly try one of the following methods: Bleach Bottle Watering System You can make a simple irrigation system using a clean bleach bottle or 2 L plastic pop bottle. Don’t use plastic vinegar bottles because they are made with biodegradable plastic and will rot in the sun. Cut a hole about the size of an egg in the bottom of your plastic container.
Turn it upside-down and loosen the cap just enough to let a little water drip out. Adjust the lid so that a full container of water empties slowly over the course of a day. Push the neck of the bottle into the ground beside your plant. Don’t twist it or you’ll change the cap setting. Check it regularly, adjust the lid if needed and keep the bottle filled. You can add ¼ strength liquid fertilizer like Rx-20 to the water to help fertilize your heavy feeders like corn. Easy Drip Watering Systems These 2 methods for making an irrigation system will water your garden slowly and gently. Combine them with deep mulch and your garden should need watering just once a week if you haven’t had any rainfall. Check the soil after watering to see whether it’s been soaked down at least 10 inches (25 cm). Both methods use old garden hoses. You’ll need enough to wind up and down each row in your garden. Ask your parents or neighbours if they have some old hoses you can have. It doesn’t matter if they leak. Method 1 Straighten the hose by pulling on both ends. Lay it in your garden up one row and down the next or dig a 4 to 6 inches deep (10 to 15 cm) trench close to the plants you want to water. Mark the hose every 12 inches (30 cm) or where each seedling is growing.
Ask an adult to poke a hole in the hose at each mark using a paring knife, ice pick or awl. Tear up some cotton rags into 1-inch wide strips (2.5 cm) about 6 inches long (15 cm). Tie a cloth strip tightly around the hose where each hole is. Cap the end of the hose or use a regular hose nozzle that is turned all the way off. Push the hose down into the trench along each rows or lightly cover it will some soil. Turn on the tap enough to fill the hose to the end. Don’t turn the tap on too much and overfill the hose or you’ll have a sprinkler instead of an irrigation system! Let the water run on low for 8 hours or so and check how far down into the soil the water has penetrated. Adjust the water pressure and make note of how long the water had to run to thoroughly water your garden. Method 2 Repeat the first 3 steps for Method 1. You’ll need an extra length of hose and some electrical or duct tape.
Use a pushpin or thumbtack to punch a hole in the top of the hose where it’s marked. For plants that need more water punch 2 holes side by side in the hose. If you make a hole in the wrong spot just wrap it with tape. Ask an adult to cut the extra hose into 2-inch lengths (5 cm) with a knife and carefully slit them open along their length. You’ll need enough pieces to cover each hole. Slip a short piece over each hole and turn on the water. Follow steps 8 to 12 in Method 1 to bury and adjust your irrigation system. This method doesn’t use quite as much water so you may be allowed to leave it on overnight but don’t forget to turn it off the next day and when it rains. Minerals found in tap water will collect at the bottom of the hose. Don’t worry about it unless your hose gets clogged, in which case it’s probably time to replace the hose. You can reuse your system year after year if you empty the hose in the autumn and hang it in the garage or shed over the winter.
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