How many times a day do you water your vegetable garden?

Question

I just planted one the other day and it consists of tomatoes, squash, green pepper, and cucumbers. Okra will be added soon too. Any tips on how to keep it growing well? I'm kinda new to this and want it to work out. Any help is very much appreciated.

Answer 1

It wont hurt to water it everyday, but you could probably water it every other day and still be ok. Its not so much watering, although you have to do that, just pay attention to your plants. Check them for bugs and stuff like that. Fall gardens, especially are more at risk for parasites. The best thing that I can tell you is you probably wont over water your plants. Just soak the ground until it stops sucking up the water right away...some plants need more water than others. If you do have bug problems, go to a feed store and buy some ORTHINE. It stinks something awful but it will get rid of anything out there..all you have to do is mix it with water.

Answer 2

When the plants are young and very small they do not need as much water as later when they are really putting on growth and fruit. But if you water then for short intervals several times a day you risk the danger of creating a shallow root system. I feel it is better to water more deeply and less often because it forces the plant roots to go deeper for moisture. But the type and texture of your soil has a lot to do with the watering schedule. Sandy soils retain less water therefore you must water more often. Heavier soils require less watering because they retain water longer. I feel you are developing the root system early in the plants life. Later on when it is flowering and fruiting it needs the water and nutrients even more and must not be kept short of water or it will stop flowering and fruiting. Getting to know your plants appearance a few hours after watering should let you know what they should look like, but even properly watered plants may look stressed or wilted in the heat of a very hot day...that will tell you whether or not they have a deep root system. Talk to experienced neighbors because they have already been down that trail. Also almost all counties have a master gardener program with experienced gardeners willing to work with you...and it is free.

Answer 3

Depending on how much rain you get and how hot it gets. I suggest you water once a day, and water late in the evening, later the better. This helps the water soak in and it keeps the water from steaming your plants, if you water in the morning. If you could mulch around plants, it will help keep moisture in ground. I don't have the funds to buy an abundance of mulch so I use dried leaves in yard. It keeps the weeds out and keeps any rain or water from evaporating so fast. I have also seen where newspaper will do the same thing and is biodegradable. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Watch the other people in your area, drive around, ask the greenhouses about your area. Water in the morning before the sun gets to high and warms up to much or, water in the evening when the sun gets low in the sky. If you water when it's to hot, it'll burn the veggies.
I've been water for over an hour now and, the sun is just starting to peek through the trees. It's cool out and by the time the sun is high the water will be dried on the plants and, they won't burn.

Answer 5

I water once a day, in the morning. A slow release fertilizer is a must, some you apply only once. Cultivate every 2 weeks, weed everyday. You can mulch your squash beds and that will control weeds and retain moisture. Epsom salts around your tomatoes is a great way to improve size of the fruit, sorry I don't have the link to that,.GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 6

Keep soil that wet looking colour. This will be more often in warm dry weather. As the plants become more mature leave it longer between watering and water deeper(longer). You need to promote root growth so give them a reason to grow toward the water but allow them enough moisture to be able to grow. That's the theory but reading the signs and knowing the drainage properties of your soil is the trick to being a good gardener. A moisture meter is one idea to give you a guide of what is happening under the soil surface, but don't rely on it too much.

Answer 7

Alright, well, it depends WHERE you live, hot wheather (80's-100's) maybe twice a day, or if you think it is paticularly bad out, three times. Otherwise just once a day would be okay, though there may be those really hot days where some specific plant looks wilty. Then you just water again. Hope this helps.

Answer 8

Best thing to do is to check the plants before watering. If moist, don't water. If the top inch is dry, water them well. In hot summer without rain I'd say you'd have to water at least once a day. Water earlier in the day if you can though, to prevent fungus.

Answer 9

Watering depends on where you live and how much rain you get. I usually don't water much at all unless we are going through a dry spell. Make sure you keep the garden weeded as well. Weeds will take over if you don't watch out.

Answer 10

I've always heard that you water in the very early morning, just before sunrise. 1. water soaks into the soil before the heat of the day evaporates the water 2. watering in the late evening can foster mold and mildew You may still have to water during the mid afternoon if the humidity is very low.