Help your garden retain moisture for the hot summer ahead by adding plenty of aged compost to your planting beds. Aged compost—rich in organic materials—has a high water-holding capacity. You can add compost to your garden beds in two ways: the easiest is to simply “sheet compost”, that is lay a 2-inch thick layer or…
Watering
Watering Vegetables in Hot and Dry Weather
Vegetables need water to grow quickly, tender, and tasty. Keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season—that means not to wet and not too dry. If the soil dries out, vegetables can become bitter tasting and woody. If the soil is too wet, vegetable roots can become starved for oxygen and plants can die….
Watering and Water Content of Vegetables
Vegetable crops need 1 inch of water each week–as a general rule of thumb; this is the equivalent of about ½ gallon of water or slightly more per square foot of garden. Some crops need more water, and some need less. The best vegetable crop production comes from consistent watering. It is important to avoid…
Mulch: Hot Weather Vegetable Garden Protection
Mulch reduces evaporation from the soil surface, moderates soil temperature, and insulates roots from summer heat (and winter cold). Mulch suppresses weeds, reduces soil compaction, prevents erosion, and adds organic matter to the soil. Mulch is any material that protects the soil surface and allows air and water through. Organic mulches–mulches derived from plant materials–not…
Water: Hot Weather Vegetable Garden Protection
Vegetable crops can become stressed in hot weather if not sufficiently watered. Vegetables are not drought resistant. Most vegetable crops require one inch or more of water each week during the growing season. This is the equivalent of about ¾ of a gallon of water. In hot, dry conditions vegetables may demand more water. Insufficient…
Vegetable Watering Tips
Water is essential to the optimum growth of vegetables; the water content of most vegetables is nearly 90 percent. Providing the right amount of moisture to the vegetable garden is as important as supplying the right amount of plant food. Here are basic vegetable garden watering tips: • Seeds. Water to the age of your…
Watering Vegetables: Critical Watering Times
Water is essential for vegetable growth. Vegetables are mostly water: an ear of corn is 70 percent water, a potato is 80 percent water, and a tomato is 95 percent water. Vegetables will not grow and yield without consistent, even watering. When to water. To know when your garden needs water, feel the soil and…