Watering question

[curly_kate]

We've had about an inch of rain in the past week, but it came in 2 thunderstorms, meaning a quick burst. Since it came & went so fast, should I do a nice, long, slow watering? I'm not sure how much my plants actually get to soak up during those torrential summer rains.

 

[patandchickens]

Depends on how your garden is set up. If its topography is such that excess rain runs away from it, then you might still need to water. If the garden is shaped so that what water falls on it just puddles there til it soaks in, you should not need any.

But the real test is not how many inches of rain you got, it's what the soil is like. Go stick your hand about 4" deep in the soil and see what it's like in there, THAT will tell you whether you need to water

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[hoodat]

When you live in an area that gets short but intense rainstorms it's a good idea to watch the weather reports and try to water lightly BEFORE not after a rainstorm. Rain will run right off dry ground without sinking in. Rain penetrates better if the top few inches of the soil are wet.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

To add to the good advise from hoodat - if you have had a long dry spell and the weather forecast is for rain put 1/2 ounce of dishwashing detergent for each 1 gal. of water in a sprayer. Use a fine mist spray and apply to your plants as well as the soil PRIOR to the rain. This will allow the water to soak into the soil instead of running off. This really works well and your plants will love it.

 

[curly_kate]

Thanks! I forgot about digging into the soil to see what it feels like. Smiles, I've never heard of using detergent. Interesting.... What part of IN are you from? I'm in Dearborn Co.

 

[hoodat]

To add to the good advise from hoodat - if you have had a long dry spell and the weather forecast is for rain put 1/2 ounce of dishwashing detergent for each 1 gal. of water in a sprayer. Use a fine mist spray and apply to your plants as well as the soil PRIOR to the rain. This will allow the water to soak into the soil instead of running off. This really works well and your plants will love it.

That's a new one on me but it makes sense. Detergent is a surficant. Perhaps Murphy's oil soap would be easier on the overall garden.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Hi curly_kate - we live just up the hill from you. We're in Sunman. We have had some terrible storms over the past two weeks. Trees down everywhere and lots of flooding.

We just moved here in late November of last year. We had been living in our motorhome for the past few years. Volunteering in National Parks in various places around the U.S. Grandma got very homesick for kids, grands, and friends so we purchased a mini-farm in between Indy and Cincy where we have families. You know the old saying about "when Momma ain't happy . . ."