Post date: Nov 16, 2019 4:37:58 PM
Uma Sashikanth
When I began gardening, I bought myself a hose pipe. Standing with the pipe in my garden was my favourite task. Now, many pests and many seasons later, I will venture to declare that the root cause of most problems in a home garden is - overwatering. Less is more. Here are my tips around watering plants:
1. Roots need the water, primarily. Do not spray the plant with water so it "looks" nice. Direct the water to the roots and the soil alone. Leaves such as cucumbers will get fungus if watered. As leaves work hard to shake off the water, their smells go into the air, inviting predators.
2. Water gently and slowly. Do not open your taps fully, or press the end of your hose with fingers, to direct a jet on your plants. Keep the water to a limp level of force (almost none at all) and water to drench and soak the soil completely.
3. Tiny roots do the most work. If you gently push aside the top layer of soil around a mature plant, you are likely to see tiny white roots. They are the ones doing the hard work. They need moisture. Water gently, mulch and cover the top soil from harsh sun so the soil remains moist.
4. Don't let water run off. Watering containers until the water flows out from the bottom means you are systematically letting nutrition in the soil leach off. Learn how much of water your container holds with time, and water accordingly.
5.Soil need to be moist, not wet. The soil structure has air spaces and water is held in the soil depending on this structure. They need moisture. If you overdo the water, these air spaces get clogged with water. Earthworms come up for air, and white roots rot. An overwatered plant thus dies.
6. Water deeply. When you water slowly, you enable the medium around the plant to be completely soaked up and drenched. This enables tiny roots to grow and spread. When you water a little now and then or spray quickly, the bottom of the pot, or the deep roots in the soil, do not get water. The root system remains shallow and the plants yield is low.
7. Water to replenish. Allow the roots to do their work between watering. Do not keep pouring water to the clock. Your objective should be to restore moisture as it dries out. Poke a finger into the soil and if the tip of your finger returns moist, there is no need to water.
8. Do not water because the sun led to drooping leaves. In the hot weather, the leaves lose water more rapidly than the roots can replenish them. Leaves will look sad and droopy. Notice that they will return to normal when the sun is down. This means your plant needs shade, not more water.
9. Never water in the heat. You can water early morning (preferable) or later evening (fungus, snails and nocturnal workers will get attracted) but never mid-noon. You will cook the roots if you add water to hot soil.
10. Water evenly. The plant makes its own food, and water is the fuel that helps it. Do not allow the plant to dry out and then water excessively to make up. Fruits will split or rot at the end if watering is uneven.
Observe your plants, their growth and yield. You will then know the combination of air, water, and temperatures that work best for it. When it comes to watering, remember that overwatering is on the top of the list of common gardening mistakes.