May Tips
May 2011
NOW IS THE TIME TOWATER YOUR GARDEN….
After only one hard rainstorm since mid-February and the hottest April since 1949, everything is very dry.
In the interests of water conservation, watering should be kept to a minimum.
WHICH PLANTS NEED WATERING?
-SEEDS. Water the seed drill before sowing seeds. The moisture will be trapped in the soil longer to allow the seeds to germinate. (Remember that seeds have their individual temperature requirements. Lettuces and grass seed will not germinate in temperatures above about 20 degrees C.)
If seeds have dried out, they will go through their dormancy process (inbuilt survival mechanism) and will germinate later, when conditions suit them.
-NEWLY PLANTED TREES. It is important to water these and also newly planted shrubs and other plants.
If you have plants waiting, delay planting them until we’ve had plenty of rain. When you plant them, water the planting hole, to encourage the roots to go down.
Established plants are unlikely to come to harm in a drought, though they will flower earlier and for a shorter period. Some plants, eg Hardy Geraniums, may droop in bright sunshine, but will recover in the evening.
LAWNS never need watering. They might become brown and dry, but they will recover when the rain returns. Let the grass grow longer, and it will stay greener.
Below are two photos of a garden with thin soil that has not been watered at all
WHEN TO WATER.
Late evening (beware of slugs and snails), or early morning, so that there is less water loss through evaporation.
HOW TO WATER
A good soak once a week for vulnerable plants is far better than a little water daily, which will encourage roots to come to the surface, making them more susceptible to drought.
Water requirements vary at different times in a plant’s life-cycle.
Seeds need water.
Fruit and vegetables need water when their fruits are swelling. If you can’t water them, their fruits will be smaller but tastier!
WATER STORAGE.
In the course of the winter, enough rain falls on an average shed roof for all the watering needs of an allotment or average garden. A large water butt or series of smaller linked butts will capture this rainfall.
HOW TO LESSEN WATER LOSS FROM SOIL.
Moisture is quickly lost from bare soil. Keep the soil covered with plants or weeds!
Mulch wet soil with a layer of compost, gravel, bark or grass cuttings (as long as you don’t use weed killers).
Keep the surface of any remaining bare soil lightly hoed, which will help to conserve moisture and also allow any rain to penetrate the soil more easily.
Make soil more water-retentive by adding organic matter such as compost and manure. Rotovating light sandy soil will have the opposite effect, making soil particles too fine and reducing their capacity to hold water.
wjn2011
