How To Water Your Vegetable Garden

You’ve planted your vegetable garden and watered in the little seedlings. Wouldn’t it be great to simply walk away and let Mother Nature water your garden with one inch of reliable rainfall each week?

It would be great, but it’s unlikely! You’ll need a plan to water your garden when it doesn’t rain enough, as most regions experience inconsistent rainfall throughout the growing seasons. Fortunately, you don’t need any fancy equipment to keep your gardens watered when the skies stay dry. All you really need is a garden hose with a spray nozzle, a watering can or a soaker hose setup to easily do the job. You’ll also want to monitor soil moisture levels and keep an eye on the forecast to help determine your watering schedule. Ahead, learn how to best water your vegetable garden with help from two gardening experts.

Decide How You’ll Water Your Garden

There are all kinds of watering options. The one you choose depends on how much time you have and how much you want to spend.

Hand watering

For smaller gardens, watering by hand may be the easiest, most affordable method of ensuring your garden doesn’t dry out. “In the garden, we typically have many different plants growing, each of which has it’s own growth habit and thus water needs. When hand-watering the gardener can adjust the amount of water each plant or crop receives. Hand watering also allows you to apply water at the base of the plant, which has the added benefit of keeping foliage dry—this can reduce the spread and growth of many plant diseases,”  Susan Scheufele, Production Agriculture Leader at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension says.

You can use a watering can or a garden hose. When using a watering can, it’s easy to mix in a liquid fertilizer you apply as you water. You can also fertilize with a sprayer attachment on a hose.

Overhead sprinklers

For larger gardens, you may decide to use sprinklers, like those for watering lawns. There are two main types: oscillating and rotating. These are good for newly-planted gardens before seeds emerge, or when plants are small.

The disadvantage? It isn’t efficient. Some of the water evaporates before hitting the ground. And if there’s a breeze, you may water much more than your garden. It also moistens the leaves of vegetable plants, creating the right conditions for diseases to flourish. If you use this method, water early in the morning to allow time for the foliage to dry before evening.

Drip irrigation systems

A third option is a drip irrigation system, which efficiently delivers the water right to the roots of your plants.

It can take some time to plan the layout and invest in the water lines and fittings. But once it’s set up, it’s effortless. Just turn on the water when needed, or set up a timer to do it automatically.

Soaker hoses

Like drip irrigation systems, soaker hoses deliver moisture directly to the plants, via tiny holes that let water seep out.

To keep the hoses in place, you may need to pin them down with landscape staples. Once you’ve laid out the hoses, just attaching a garden hose and turn on the water.

As with drip irrigation, you may want to use a timer to turn off the system automatically, or set a reminder on your smartphone.

Keep Track of Rainfall

To ensure you don’t overwater your garden, which can be almost as big a problem as underwatering, set up a rain gauge to keep track of rainfall. You can also measure rain by setting out a small empty can about one inch deep. When one is full, that’s enough water for the week.

Check the Soil Before Watering

While one inch of water per week is a rule of thumb, other factors, like your soil type or whether you’ve mulched the garden, can also determine how often you need to water.

Before you decide to water, dig down four to five inches. If it’s dry at that depth, your garden probably needs water.

Water Deeply

Whatever method you choose, remember to water deeply a few times a week rather than just sprinkling a bit daily. As the soil dries out on the surface, the roots will grow deeper, seeking the moisture further down.

FAQ

Can You Use Grey Water in a Vegetable Garden?

Generally, no. If you know your grey water doesn’t contain chemicals or harsh detergents, you can use it on ornamental plants in times of drought.

Can I Use Rain Barrel Water in a Vegetable Garden?

Yes. However, avoid using water collected in rain barrels on root crops or leafy greens you plan to eat. “Harvested rainwater may present food safety risks if used to irrigate edible crops. It may contain pollutants such as pathogens, heavy metals or chemicals that it picks up from surfaces that it contacts before entering barrels, or from inside the barrels themselves,” Lisa McKeag, Food Safety Specialist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension says. “If you are not confident about the quality of the water, do not apply harvested rainwater to root crops or other crops that are likely to be directly contacted by the water.”

Are there specific vegetables that need more water?

Vegetables with small or shallow root systems like onions, cucumbers, spinach, celery, broccoli and carrots will need more frequent watering, especially in hot weather. Other vegetables will need water during the fruiting and flowering stages, including tomatoes, corn, squash and legumes.

Can I overwater my vegetable garden?

Yes. vegetable gardens can be overwatered, leading to rotting roots and foliage, as well as disease and fungus.

About the Experts

Susan Scheufele is Production Agriculture Leader at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension.

Lisa McKeag is a Food Safety Specialist with the University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension.