Subject: Do's and Don'ts of Watering Your Center's Garden

Hi Friend.

We are finally hitting that time of year when temperatures warm up and watering your plants becomes an important part of the process.  Here are some tips to guide you along the way.  
When to Water

It's best to water based on weather. During hot days with no rain, you may need to water daily.  Other times you might only water 2x week.  

DO water early in the morning generally before 10a.m. when the air is still cool. This will minimize water loss due to evaporation and drift. This will also give the ground plenty of time to dry before nightfall.

DO water your garden once a day during hot or dry days.  Stick your finger in the soil. If it feels dry down to your second knuckle, it's time to water.

Avoid watering in the heat of the day. The plants are closed up tight to retain water during the hot sun, so watering at this time will waste most of the water.

Avoid watering in the late evening or after dark since the moisture could promote the growth of fungus.
How Much to Water

Some claim that an "inch-a-week" of water is needed. This is a good rule of thumb but each plant is going to be different. Young seedlings and new transplants have limited root systems and need a consistent supply of moisture, so they may need daily watering if the weather is sunny and hot.

DO give plants enough water to moisten the plant's entire root system. Apply water slowly so it's absorbed by the soil rather than running off — a soaker hose is ideal.

Avoid lightly sprinkling the plants each day. This encourages the roots to grow near the soil surface where they're vulnerable to drying out.

Avoid watering garden beds and containers with the same amount of water. Some containers may retain more moisture and require less water.
How to Water

DO water the base of the plant to avoid getting the foliage wet, which can cause fungus.

DO mulch beds and containers with composted material to retain moisture and deter weeds. 

DO use water that is room temperature. Water that is too cold or too hot can shock the root system.  

Avoid watering from overhead. The foliage may prevent the water from even penetrating the roots.

Avoid watering with high pressure. When using a high pressure water supply the force can damage young plants and new growth as well as splashing the soil onto the leaves of the plants that can transfer diseases and fungus from the soil to the plant.
Lessons in the Garden

Here's a great "soil moisture" lesson to do with preschool children from Growing Minds.  This exercise is also referred to as the Goldilocks Test because children will get an opportunity to feel soil that is too wet, too dry, and just right :)
We hope you find these tips and lessons helpful.  Please reach out to us anytime with your questions.  We're happy to help.  

We'll be back in touch with more information next week.  

Have a great week. 

Mandy Curry
Start A Garden & Healthy Kids Inc.
mandy@healthykidsinc.com
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    This is an online snapshot of a newsletter created by the owner of Start A Garden (Start A Garden, PO Box 1265, 26330 Bridgeport, United States) and sent via GetResponse on 2017-06-05. Report abuse