In the great scheme of things everything needs water obviously. But here in the south we've not had rain for ages and aren't likely to for some weeks. Apart from greenhouse plants, and newly planted stuff, what do you consider the most important things to water, and what can be left to it's own devices.?
Will be interested in responses here as I am currently taking water to the plot on a daily basis, albeit small amounts as I'm not growing a lot as yet!
At the moment I am watering all in the poly tunnel, peas onions and beetroot also young cabbage plants recently sown. Spuds have been left to their own devices as they were planted deep down but as I plan to weed the drills and earth up today I think they will need some water this evening
Alliums and brassicas are usually left to look after themselves as watering small amounts little and often makes them surface root and even more prone to drought.
Legumes need water, especially runner beans which have a lot of leaf to keep turgid. Carrots and parsnips can usually find water deep down once established.
Cucurbits need water because of there leaf size and evap-otranspiration.
So I usually water squashes /courgettes plus peas and beans first.
1. I water the GH daily, maybe twice a day in this weather.
2. Newly planted things, when they go in and if they look wilted
3. Things in modules waiting to be planted out.
That's about it. If it can't be done with a watering can, its not watered.
The water butts are nearly empty now - hoping I won't have to use tap water. That is the absolutely final step.
Greenhouse and container grown plants get watered sometimes twice then new planted and beans not much else though.
I reckon to water newly planted things every couple of days for about a week to ten days in hot weather.
Brassicas get a a bit every day, sometimes twice, simply because flea beetles which can strip out new plants in a matter of hours don't like the high humidity.
After that everything gets a good dousing once a week and a feed once a week and an extra drink if it looks thirsty.
I've learned that it doesn't seem to matter if all the leaves collapse on courgettes or aubergines or whatever in the middle of the day, they'll be fine once the sun is off them again.
That's really useful, thank you all so much. How many of you are on metered water?
Yes, we're on metered water, but we also have 1500l of stored water in butts. But when the temperature is in the thirties I can get through that lot in about ten days, but we also get thunderstorms from now onwards that will dump 30-40mm/hr and fills them up again very quickly.
We have been exceptionally dry so watering is essential. I am using irrigation hoses under a mulch once a week for an hour and also soaker pots which have worked well for me in the past.