Vegetable Gardening (104 page)

You can wet an entire bed from one end to the other at each watering with drip emitters. You snap the emitters in the pipes wherever you want them, or you can buy a pipe with emitters already evenly spaced along the length of the pipe. The moisture radiates sideways underground and wets the soil between emitters.

As an alternative to emitters, you may want to use
microsprinklers,
which are tiny sprinklers that hook to plastic pipes like drip emitters. They're usually supported by 12- to 24-inch stakes and cover various-sized areas of soil with a fine spray of water. They're particularly useful for watering closely spaced vegetables like lettuce and root crops, or for watering germinating seeds.

Most nurseries sell drip irrigation systems, but you also can purchase them through the mail (see the appendix for details). Emitters and microsprinklers are available with different application rates, varying by the number of gallons applied per hour. Pressure-compensating emitters apply water consistently from one end of the line to the other, regardless of pressure changes due to uneven ground.

Follow these steps to set up a drip irrigation system in your garden:

1. Lay the pipe (or pipes — depending on the system) on top of the soil and cover the pipe with plastic mulch, or bury the pipe a few inches below the surface of the soil.

Most people like to keep the pipe close to the surface so they can check it for clogs and fix breaks.

2. If your pipe doesn't already have emitters in it, snap emitters in the pipe wherever you want them.

Position the emitters so they're close to the bases of your plants.

3. Run the drip system for at least several hours a day (2 to 4 hours).

Watch the system carefully the first few times that you water. Dig around in your garden to see how far the water travels over a given time period, and then adjust your watering schedule in the future.

If you live in an area where the soil freezes, don't leave your drip irrigation system or soaker hoses outside in the winter because they may burst. Instead, drain the water out, roll up the tubing, and store it in your garage.

Conserving water with a few handy tips

In many areas of the country, restrictions limit the amount of water you can use to grow your plants. If you're in one of these areas, it's especially important that you water smartly (though watering efficiently should be everyone's goal!). Sensible watering will save this precious resource and save you money.

Keep these water-saving pointers in mind when tending to your crops:

Grow plants that perform better under low water conditions.
Some drought-resistant food crops you might try include herbs and hot peppers.

Plant veggies closer together.
Doing so allows you to conserve soil moisture and shade the ground, keeping it cool and moist.

Consider the time of day that you water, especially if you use a sprinkler.
You lose less water to evaporation (an important consideration in hot, dry climates) if sprinklers operate in the cool of the morning rather than during the heat of the afternoon. Watering in the morning also gives leaves a chance to dry off before evening; wet foliage is an ideal fungus-growing medium.

Frequent, shallow waterings do more harm than good.
They cause roots to develop mainly in the upper few inches of the soil, where they're susceptible to drying out. Instead, go for occasional, deep waterings. Deep waterings allow moisture to penetrate deeply into the soil. The roots will follow the water, and the plant will be deep rooted and less likely to be effected by dry conditions. You'll water less frequently; maybe deeply once per week.

If your garden has heavy clay soil or is on a slope, and you find that water begins to run off before it penetrates 6 inches deep in the soil, try watering at intervals.
Water for 10 to 15 minutes, let the water soak in for 15 to 20 minutes, and then water again.

Try to use soaker hoses and drip irrigation to direct water to the plants and not waste it on pathways.
Use a timer to turn on the system during cool parts of the day for only as long as needed.

Collect rainwater from roofs and store it to be used in the garden.
In some areas you can even use gray waste water from your home in your yards. Check with your local water municipality for regulations on using gray water.