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Tag: Irrigation

Nine Water-Saving Garden Tips to Fight Drought

A combination of protective row covers, mulch, and drip hoses will dramatically reduce water loss.

Hot weather drains garden plants dry and reduces productivity, especially when rain is scarce. More and more gardeners have had to change the way they grow because heat and drought limit the season. Rather than getting discouraged, they have learned smarter gardening techniques and how to stretch resources. Approaching the garden season with several lines of defense for drought is essential, especially where summer water restrictions are usually imposed.

US Drought Severity is Growing

Drought patterns in the US, last updated on 10/04/22. (Image thanks to the NDMC, SOAA, and USDA)

The problem is growing. In much of the American West and some eastern states, summer brings seasonal drought at different levels of intensity. According to NASA’s Drought Monitor, a third of the United States was faced with drought in 2020. They stated, “An estimated 53 million people are living in drought-affected areas.” It is a sobering number that shows no sign of decline, and it suggests that water-wise gardening has become a necessity for lots of American gardeners.

Keep Water Grounded

Professional growers opt for drip irrigation because it saves water and money. Home gardeners should do the same. Cover with a little straw, and it will hold water even better!

The first tips for saving water involve keeping it in the soil, while avoiding any aerosol or evaporative water loss from sprinklers or over-exuberant hand watering.

1. Amend soil with water-holding additives. Some soil components naturally hold lots of water and act as water reservoirs that make it more available to plant roots for longer. Organic matter (peat, compost, leaf mold, and coconut coir) is on the front line of holding water in the soil. Aerated organic matter soaks water up like a sponge and easily redistributes it to plant roots, For example, processed coconut coir soaks up 90% of its weight in water. Inorganic soil additives, like water-holding crystals and vermiculite, also hold water but are better suited for container gardening.

2. Use drip irrigation: Drip irrigation, in the form of drip-tubing systems for containers or drip hoses and drip tape for beds, deliver water at soil level where it quickly soaks into the ground, and is not lost by evaporation. Drip systems are the best for delivering garden water. In contrast, sprinklers lose an excessive amount of water to evaporation, and water delivery is not targeted.

3. Apply light mulches or coverings: Straw, compost, leaf mulch, or plastic row coverings hold soil water and stop surface evaporation. Use soil coverings in conjunction with drip irrigation, and soil amendment, and you will be set. (Click here to learn how a high-desert vegetable gardener used straw bales to protect her crops with great results.) (Click here for a full overview of different mulch types.)

Large, light-colored, ceramic pots hold water better and stay cooler.

4. Choose larger pots or containers that are glazed or water-impermeable and light in color. Large planters that are light in color hold more water better. Glazed or other water-impermeable surfaces keep the water in, unlike common unglazed Terracotta, which is porous and quickly loses water from its sides. Lighter pots also reflect heat, which helps keep plant roots cooler and happier.

5. Track Watering and Water Deeply: Keep track of watering time and length to determine the general amount needed to keep your garden happy. Soil moisture meters for pots make it easy to know when it is time to water, which takes the guesswork out, though most planters need daily watering when it is really hot and dry. When it comes to garden beds, water deeply–for at least a couple of hours–to ensure that water penetrates down to the roots. Deep watering also encourages deeper rooting, which helps plants get through tough, dry weather.

Manage Light to Reduce Water Loss

Lightweight floating row cover cloth, like this, or movable hoops covered with lightweight row cloth, can really help some crops withstand high heat and drought.

5. Reduce excess sunlight with light hoop covers. When temperatures are scorching and the sun is hot, floating hoop covers draped with lightweight row-cover cloth can be placed over small beds or low-growing garden vegetables to give them a rest and help conserve water. They will still get the light that they need, but the heat will be reduced a bit. Covers secured at both ends can also be helpful in keeping pests away. Greens, carrots, beets, turnips, and comparable crops appreciate this sort of light protection the most. (Click here for more row cover basics.)

6. Use strategic shading and timing. Plant perennials or pots in locations where they get some shade during the hottest time of the day in summer (between 2 and 4 pm). This will help them hold onto water when the weather is most extreme. Watering in the early morning, before the sun rises, will also help plants make it through hot, dry days. If you live in an area where the drought is bad, feel free to irrigate plants in the evening without fear of encouraging diseases. When it is severely hot and dry, plants need lots of moisture at the root zone to fill up with water and keep cool.

Collecting Water for Reuse

When rain does fall, it is wise to set up ways to collect runoff water–such as rain barrels or cisterns. Before doing so, one must know their roof composition beforehand because two roof types release high concentrations of dangerous heavy metals. These are roofs made of 1) uncoated galvanized metal, which releases high concentrations of zinc, and 2) treated wood shakes that release high concentrations of copper. All other roof types should be fine, according to research. Be sure to keep the tops covered to avoid mosquito breeding and possible animal drownings. Here is a little more information about these water collecting reservoirs.

7. Collecting water in Rain Barrels or Cisterns: Rain barrels are quite inexpensive and easy to install for rainwater collection. They connect to gutter downspouts to capture roof rainwater. Not only does this reduce watering costs, but many plants prefer rainwater over tap water. I recommend placing barrels up on cinder blocks to improve water flow from the release valve at the base. It makes it easier to fill watering cans or hook up hosing for garden irrigation. Be sure to empty your rain barrel at the end of the season if you live in an area with cold winters.

Cisterns are water collectors that store more water, and they may be kept above- or below-ground. They may be designed to collect rainwater, air-conditioning condensate, or even reserves of well-water. Unlike rain barrels, they are more costly to install but recommended for areas where water is limited and restricted. If you live in a place with annual seasonal rainfall of 15-inches/year or more (click here to see US annual rainfall averages), then consider installing a rainwater cistern.

Grow Drought-Tolerant Plants

Western hyssops (Agastache spp.) are some of the most beautiful, drought-tolerant garden flowers for pollinators that you can grow,

Some plants use water more efficiently or hold onto it better when the rain stops falling.

8. Grow Drought Tolerant Plants. Plants from the Mediterranean and arid West, as well as succulents, tend to shine in heat and drought. Those naturally adapted to more severe drought are often labeled as Xeric or Waterwise plants, and many specialty nurseries carry them. High Country Gardens is one great commercial online seller and Xera Plants is another. Most garden retailers these days also carry lots of drought-tolerant plants. Specialty succulent nurseries, especially those with lists of hardy plants, are also worth looking into. I like Mountain Crest Gardens.  Their plants always arrive in great shape and perform beautifully. There are many more out there! Click on the links below for more drought tolerant plant resources.

How Can I Use a Rain Barrel If I Do Not Have Gutters?

“I have been given a rain barrel, but don’t have gutters on my house. How can I gather rain in my rain barrel without gutters? Thank you.” Jenifer of Saint Petersburg, Florida

Answer: That is a tough one. Rain barrels are made to collect water from the large surface area of a roof. Gutter downspouts have always been the water delivery system for rain barrels. You may consider getting gutters on one side of your house if you have a pitched roof.

Otherwise, I recommend finding the spot below your roof from which water drains the most. If you have a barrel that opens from the top, you can take the top off and then strategically place it below the drainage area for water collection. Place a mesh cover over the top to keep mosquitoes from breeding and animals from falling in and drowning. Because this method will reduce water collection, you may consider placing the barrel on stones or cinder blocks to increase water pressure and flow from the valve. Otherwise, you might consider giving the barrel to a friend with gutters.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

What is the Best Time of Day to Water a Garden?

What is the Best Time of Day to Water a Garden?

“What time of the day is best to water your garden?” Question from Joy of Delta, Ohio

Answer: Timing is everything when it comes to good irrigation. In areas with regular rain and higher humidity, the best summer watering time is in the cool early morning when soil-water retention is highest. Early moisture prepares plants for hot midday temperatures. In turn, watering at the hottest time of day—between 12 noon and 3:00 pm—is the least effective time to water because more evaporation occurs and plants take in less water in high heat and sun. Midday watering in high sun can also damage the leaves of some plants. Watering late in the day can encourage various diseases and other problems, unless you live in an arid climate where watering in the evening is preferable for soil-water retention.

Good Soil Amendments for Water Retention

To reduce the need to water, add good garden soil amendments, such as coconut coir, peat moss, and compost, improve soil porosity and moisture retention, which increases water uptake by roots. OMRI Listed® Black Gold® Just Coir is pure, organic, processed coconut coir that holds a lot of water to bring added moisture to garden beds and containers. Black Gold® Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss also has a high water-holding capacity, but it also has a low pH, so apply it to more alkaline soils or where acid-loving plants will be grown. Vegetable and flower gardeners rely on OMRI Listed® Black Gold® Garden Compost Blend to add needed water-holding organic matter to the soil. Compost also makes high-quality light mulch.

I hope that this information helps!

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

How Should I Irrigate My Santa Rosa Plum Tree?

How Should I Irrigate My Santa Rosa Plum Tree?

“How often should I water with drippers my 20-year-old Santa Rosa plum tree?” Question from Gloria of Morgan Hill, California

Answer: Even established trees with deep roots need supplemental water during dry spells. In arid areas where soils are poor, irrigation is even more important, as is fertilization. Let rainfall decide when you irrigate your Santa Rosa plum tree (Prunus salicina ‘Santa Rosa’). During extra dry periods, you may need to water it two to three times a month. Remember that tree roots flare out, and most feeder roots are along the periphery of the flare, so avoid just watering near the trunk. The flare often follows a tree’s branching, so water further out to really irrigate properly.

Plum trees grow best in fertile soils that drain well. Adding a layer of compost, such as Black Gold Garden Compost Blend around the roots each year can help slowly feed the soil and hold in needed moisture.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Is There a Natural Method for Dechlorinating Water?

“I was wondering what’s a cheap and effective way for the home organic grower to remove chlorine and, more importantly, chloramine without using expensive reverse osmosis filters. Can you recommend a product that is inexpensive and effective at making water safe for all the organic goodies we work so hard to cultivate?” Question from Stephen of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Answer: There are several inexpensive solutions that can help you. Here are three of the best, easiest, and cheapest solutions for water dechlorination for organic growers like you.

Chlorine Evaporation

Chlorine is a gas that evaporates from irrigation water over a short period of time. To encourage evaporation, irrigation water must be exposed to the air. The more open-air coverage, the faster the evaporation. Ultraviolet rays from sunlight and added aeration will help hasten the process. I recommend using a broad, open tub covering with a screen (to keep insects and animals out) that is kept in the open air and sun for irrigation water.  A small pond aerator with also hasten the process. These water sources can also collect rainwater.

Chlorine evaporation time depends on the concentration. In general, it takes chlorine a few days for the standard concentration to evaporate from 10 gallons of standing water. I suggest investing in a small chlorine tester to ensure your water is chlorine-free before irrigating.

Carbon Filtration for Chloramine

Chloramine is a little tougher to remove from water. The easiest method is via carbon filtration. For small businesses, there are small, reasonably priced, carbon filtration systems that will remove sediment, chlorine, and chloramine from water. Here are some options.

Rain Water Collection

Water collection is an age-old way of gathering fresh, chlorine-free water for growing. Whether you choose to fill rain barrels or cisterns, rainwater is free to collect and (mostly) chemical-free. Of course. (Here is an article that covers some methods of rainwater collection.)

I hope that these tips help!

Happy organic gardening,

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Five Best Ways to Save Water in the Garden

Roof rainwater trickles into a classic garden rain barrel.

Smart gardeners prepare for summer dry spells and drought. A little water can go a long way if you plan ahead with effective water conservation techniques. Implement one (or more) of our five ways to save water in the garden, and not only will your plants grow better in dry weather, but you will also spend less time and money on watering.

 

1. Collect and Redistribute Water

Rain barrels are the best tools for rainwater collection. They connect to gutter downspouts to capture roof runoff. Collecting rainwater reduces watering costs, and plants generally prefer rainwater to tap. Fill watering cans from rain barrels or hook hosing up to them for gentle garden irrigation.

Cisterns are larger above- or below-ground water storage units used to collect rainwater, air conditioning condensate, or even well-water reserves. They are more costly to install but useful for gardeners living where water is limited and often rationed. Roof collection cisterns are only recommended only for areas with adequate annual seasonal rainfall of 15-inches/year or more (click here to see US annual rainfall averages).

Know your roof composition before collecting roof rainwater. In a 2-year study, two roof types leached high concentrations of heavy metals; uncoated galvanized metal roofs released high concentrations of zinc, and treated wood shakes released high concentrations of copper. Refrain from roof water collection if you have these roof types.

Cisterns collect large amounts of rainwater, well-water or even air-conditioning condensate.

2. Irrigate at Soil Level

Ground-level irrigation results in less water loss. For large gardens, weave soaker hoses through beds—setting your intake nozzle closest to the hose spigot. Soaker hoses are water-permeable lines that slowly release water into the soil. They can easily be covered with straw or mulch, to keep beds looking attractive while further retaining soil moisture. Mark covered soaker hoses to keep them from getting damaged by stray trowels or spades.

Plastic drip lines release water from perforated holes or extensions of fine drip tubes. Lines of perforated drip tape are inexpensive and easily set along vegetable garden rows. Pot dripper systems work best for complexes of garden containers. Dripper systems consist of a central hose line that connects smaller lines into each container. (Dripworks makes a great deck garden drip irrigation kit.)

Plastic bottle irrigation is popular with tomato growers. Simply perforate a clean, 2-Liter plastic bottle and fully sink it alongside a newly planted tomato at planting time (leaving the top accessible). At watering time, simply fill the underground bottle with water—being sure to keep the lid on between watering. It’s an inexpensive and effective way to deeply irrigate thirsty tomatoes in the heat of summer.

 

Well-placed drip lines irrigate lettuce plants at the soil level.

 

3. Time Irrigation

Timing is everything when it comes to good irrigation. The best summer watering time is in the cool early morning when soil water retention is highest. Early moisture prepares plants for hot midday temperatures. In turn, watering at the hottest time of day—between 12 noon and 3:00 pm—is the least effective time to water because more evaporation occurs and plants take in less water in high heat and sun.

Hose timers streamline watering. There are two kinds—mechanical and digital timers. Mechanical timers are low cost and can be set for between 15 to 120 minutes, though they can’t be preset. Digital timers are more costly, but they can be preset for specific watering times.

For deep watering, set soaker or drip irrigation to low pressure, and time the irrigation to fully wet your garden plants or pots. One to two hours is often adequate, though soil quality should be considered when calculating watering time. Light, porous, organic-rich soil needs less watering time because it readily percolates and retains moisture. Dense, clay-rich soils are slower to percolate and need longer, deeper watering. Poorer quality garden soils should be amended and mulched yearly to improve water retention and porosity.

Drip irrigation systems are easily set on timers for precision watering.

4. Retain Soil Moisture

Good garden soil amendments, such as coconut coir, peat moss, and compost, improve soil porosity and moisture retention, which increases root water uptake. OMRI Listed® Black Gold® Just Coir is pure, organic, processed coconut coir that holds a lot of water to bring added moisture to garden beds and containers. Black Gold® Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss also has a high water-holding capacity, but it also has a low pH, so apply it to more alkaline soils or where acid-loving plants will be grown. Vegetable and flower gardeners rely on OMRI Listed® Black Gold® Garden Compost Blend to add needed water-holding organic matter to the soil. Compost also makes high-quality light mulch.

Mulches are like soil blankets that hold in water. The best garden mulches include quality compost, fine leaf compost, and straw and grass clippings (for vegetable gardens). Surprisingly, large ornamental rocks hold a lot of soil water beneath them. These are all better than thick bark mulch, which is often applied so thickly that overhead water cannot percolate through to reach plant roots.

Supplement containers with coconut coir or water-holding moisture crystals. Black Gold® Moisture Supreme Container Mix and Black Gold® Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Mix are both fortified with coconut coir for natural water retention.

5. Supply Midday Shade

A little midday shade can help garden plants withhold water better.

Sun-loving plants appreciate one or two hours of protection from the hot midday sun. The hottest time window is between 12 noon and 3 pm, with 3 pm being the hottest point. A well-placed umbrella, pergola, or awning can offer just enough shade to help plants retain moisture through the worst of the day’s heat.

Anyone of these water-saving changes can help you save water while increasing the health and success of your summer plants. All are best done early in the season, allowing you to reap the rewards when summer heat and drought appear.

 

 

Switch to Drip Irrigation

Black Gold
A new bed with drip irrigation installed.

Written by Nan Sterman

With water shortages from California to South Carolina, Arizona to New York City, even rainy Pennsylvania, what’s a garden lover to do? Adapt. We need to choose plants that survive on little more than rainfall. We need to improve our soils so they absorb and hold water. And we need to make our irrigation systems more efficient. Our task is to grow great gardens using as little water possible, applied as efficiently as possible.

Improving soils can be done with the addition of worm castings (Black Gold Worm Castings) to promote fungi, bacteria, and other beneficial microbes in the soil. Compost and mulch (Black Gold Garden Compost, Black Gold Soil Conditioner or Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil) improve soil texture and provide the organic matter that feeds the microbes.

In terms of irrigation, it is time to replace fashioned overhead sprinklers with drip irrigation. With drip, nearly 100% of the water that goes into the garden goes into the soil where plant roots are. Overhead sprinklers, on the other hand, waste half of the water they put out. Some evaporates into the air, some is lost to over spray. Much of it simply ends up running off into the gutter. With so much waste, your out of pocket cost is twice what it should be. And, keep in mind that all that water running off your property carries fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other toxic materials into our lakes, rivers, and oceans. The cost of this pollution is enormous.

Drip just makes sense. It delivers water where plants need it at their roots, in the ground. In fact, drip is so efficient that when water agencies set watering restrictions, gardens watered by drip irrigation are excluded.

How drip works

Drip releases water drip by drip. Where overhead irrigation delivers water on the scale of gallons per minute, drip releases water on the scale of gallons per hour. Even in gardens with heavy clay soils, water absorbs into the ground rather than running off into the gutter.

There are different types of drip technologies, many of which I’ve tested in my own garden. The hands-down winner is in-line drip irrigation. In-line drip (also called “dripperline”) comes from different manufacturers, but all basically operate the same way. In-line drip irrigation consists of a flexible plastic tube, roughly a half-inch diameter, with emitters installed permanently inside the tube. When you look at the tube, you see a hole every six or twelve or eighteen inches along its length. Run your finger along the tube over the hole and you can feel the thickness of the emitter.

In-line drip is different from laser drip, which is simply a tube with holes drilled in it. In-line emitter tubing releases a set amount of water from each emitter along its entire length. Emitter technology prevents roots from creeping in.

Some brands have check valves so that when the line turns off, water stays inside rather than running out and flooding the lowest point. In-line drip fits together with simple, push-in elbows, t’s, and other fittings. In most garden beds, lines are laid out in a grid, then covered over with a layer of mulch to help hold water in the soil. Because there are so few parts and pieces, these systems are very low maintenance. There are no tiny tubes to blow apart, no heads to twist off, break off, or get stepped on. Just remember to push lines aside before you dig in a bed.

There is some cost involved in the initial installation, but with drip irrigation, worm castings, and a nice thick layer of mulch, you’ll soon recover your costs in saved water and healthier plants.