Water is an essential nutrient for any growing plants because not only do plants need moisture for perspiration, but they also need water to help draw and move nutrients from the soil through their roots all the way up to the entire plant.
Ways of watering your garden in dry weather
Without sufficient water especially during dry seasons, plants or crops are not able to grow and thrive. They end up failing irrespective of how fertile a soil may be.
It therefore becomes necessary to water a garden during dry spells. Water is just as essential as air, sunlight and nutrients to any growing plants.
1: Water your soil deeply
During dry seasons, water your soil deeply at least once a week. This is more preferable to watering daily or often with little water.
During dry weather, frequent and shallow watering doesn’t help plants much as the heat of the sun tends to cause fast evaporation of soil water before it can sink deep into the ground to the root system of plants.
Again, shallow watering will not allow for deep sinking of water as the water will not be sufficient to allow for that.
Deep watering is what establishes strong and deep root system in plants. This in turn sustains plants during drought. In general, it is better to water your garden soil less often but to water your garden soil deeply whenever you do.
2: Water your soil before the full sun comes out
Watering your vegetables during dry spells will also require that you water them before the full sun comes out. This will also serve to allow the water time to sink deep into the soil for the vegetable roots to absorb before evaporation can begin.
Aim to water your vegetables between 5.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. in the morning. At the latest, you should be done watering by 9.00 a.m.
How long should you water during a drought?
Water your garden soil for the duration of time the drought lasts. When the drought ends and rains come, you can cease to water.
Another way to answer this question is to say water your garden soil until you establish that the first inch of the top soil is not only completely moist, but that the water has gone deep through the top soil to the subsoil.
This will ensure the water not only gets to the root zone of your plants but goes beyond as a precautionary measure for your plants.
How do you water a vegetable garden in dry spells?
When watering a vegetable garden during dry spells, aim the water at the base of your plants. Usually this will be on the level of the top soil.
Be sure to keep the foliage of your vegetables dry during watering as it will help reduce the challenge of disease. The practice of watering plants during dry seasons is called irrigation.
It helps to get water to your vegetables in a measured or controlled way. Where possible, grow vegetables with similar water needs together so as to avoid over-watering any.
Avoid using sprinklers which can lead to much evaporation and water runoff at a time when you really need to conserve water. Instead, use a watering nozzle to direct water to the root zone.
You can also use a soaker hose instead of a sprinkler as it targets water right at the roots where your plants need it most.
Should I water my vegetables every day when it is hot?
No. It is not necessary to water your vegetables daily during hot weather. Watering deeply at least twice or thrice a week is sufficient.
The deep watering will supply enough water to the root system of your vegetables, sustaining your plants when it gets hot. Just be sure to water before the sun comes out.
How to make drought resistant soil
There are several steps you can take to make your soil drought resistant. For instance, you can use mulch to increase water infiltration, or use windbreaks to reduce the speed of water evaporation.
We look at these and other steps below.
- Mulch your plants
Create a two to three inch layer of mulch, preferably organic mulch such as dry grass, dry shredded leaves and shreds or chips of wood on top of your soil.
This will help your soil to become drought resistant as it will increase water infiltration. Lack of water infiltration is a major problem for most gardeners and farmers.
It is also an environmental challenge because water that fails to infiltrate the soil runs off leading to flooding, soil erosion and loss of soil nutrients.
- Plant cover crops
Plant cover crops which will also act as a mulch. The living roots in the soil sustain soil microbes and create and environment for worms and insects to break through compacted soil, allowing it loosen sufficiently to soak in water.
The more soil residue through mulching and use of cover crops, the higher the infiltration, and the more drought resistant your crops will become.
- Use windbreaks to reduce rate of water evaporation
Wind causes water evaporation, and more so when it moves with speed. This is where use of windbreaks comes in. The windbreakers greatly reduce the speed of wind.
- Increase organic matter into your soil
Soil needs to absorb and retain rainwater, storing much of that water for future plant use.
If the soil is rich in organic matter, the water will penetrate deep into the ground. The water holding capacity of your soil will be greatly enhanced by addition of organic matter into your soil.
Organic matter can actually increase soil water storage by 16000 gallons per acre foot for each 1% of organic matter. Plant perennial crops. Their roots go deep into the soil, helping to increase the soil’s organic matter.
Best plants to grow during dry seasons
Some of the best plants to grow during dry seasons are root crops such as beetroots, carrots and arrowroots as they are relatively drought resistant.
Others are Coneflower, Catmint, Lantana, Lavender, Russian sage, Agastache, Salvia, and Carlifonia poppy. These, together with many others, are drought tolerant.
Below, we look at the features of some of these plants.
- Catmint
Catmint is another drought tolerant plant that attracts bees and butterflies due to its aromatic flowers. It is idea for crating borders and for growing in containers and rock gardens. It is in bloom from early summer to early fall.
- Agastache
This plant grows as tall as 3 to 5 feet and is ideal for the back of a border. It is a perennial plant of the mint family and is the delight of bees.
It is commonly found in all continents of the world but is a native to Eastern Asia and Northern America. It does well in quick draining and poor soils that are low in fertility.
- Salvia
Salvia is grown as an annual. It ranges from 8 to 30 inches in height and comes in many varieties such as bodacious, roserhapsody, heatwave breeze, coldhardy pink sage, mealycup sage, golden-leaved pineapple sage, bluehill meadow sage, red dwarf scarlet, pitcher sage and lyreleaf sage.
It is a flowering plant that produces color lasting throughout the season and is a delight of humming birds.
- Carlifonia poppy
This plant grows exceptionally well under full sunlight and doesn’t need fertile soil to thrive. It is ideal for growing during dry spells.
- Russian sage
The stems of this drought resistant plant grow up to between 2 to 5 feet tall. It is a plant that does well even in poor soils. It tolerates cold very well and is ideal for growing in any garden.
- Lavender
Lavender is a native of the Middle East and the Mediterranean regions known for extreme heat. It is ideal for creating borders around a garden.