GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Mark Anderson · 02-09-2006, 02:30 AM posted to rec.gardens

In article says...
I am shocked that you need that much water on a
rooftop garden. One inch for a 25X25 feet garden is about 350 gallons,
and that is a large garden, and one inch is good for a week.

For some reason one day I realized how much time I spent/wasted each day
watering and then started adding everything up. The containers seem to
dry out quickly and each and every one of them need either a spritzer or
a complete soak each day. The tomato tubs each get a minimum of 1
gallon per day now and the cucumbers get at least 2 gallons. The 5
gallon bucket plants get about 1/3 to 1/2 gallon each per day now.
Earlier in the year it was less. My alley morning glory vines which
consist of 4 planters (about 32 cu. ft. of planter space) now take 20-25
gallons of water each day. When I fertilize I use a 2 gallon bucket
with that water soluble Miracle Grow and one day only gave them 9
buckets of blue stuff and the stupid vines wilted by the afternoon.
It's ridiculous.

This variation in watering makes designing an irrigation system for
container gardens very difficult although I do have until next Spring to
figure this out. I went to Amazon to look up Mary Tiefert's book and
she didn't seem to be listed.