Jeff Thies wrote:
Billy wrote:
In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

I've been hand watering the young plants, but I think it's time
to set up the drip irrigation for the year. The cucurbits look like
they are ready to take off and the temps are in the 80's.

It seems to me that every other plant is going to be more
tolerant of how it is watered than the cukes. At least that's my
experience! I have a Rain Drip single time/frequency timer.

I wonder if I should water early, or just before the day heats up,
perhaps 10 AM. Or should I get a timer that lets you set more than
one specific time per day and water some in the afternoon when they
are getting beat on. I'll be away for a while, so I'd like to
program the best guess in. The soil seems to have average drainage
and moisture retention. Not too heavy and with some humus to loosen
it up a bit. Much better than last year when it was denser. Down
10" there is still a lot of red clay.

Jeff

I like to water mid-morning, and get the plants hydrated before the
afternoon heat. How often do you water your plants and are your
plants mulched?

A thin layer of cypress blend mulch (light color). It's rained a good
bit lately, otherwise a drink in the morning and more later if they
look a bit droopy, not uncommon. But that is all handwatering about a
half gallon/plant. That seems like a lot to me for such young plants.


Don't guess, test. The amount you need to apply will change as the plant
grows and the season develops.

I think I'll set up the 1 gph drippers for 20 minutes, mid morning
tomorrow, and see what it looks like later.

I put in the drippers last year after the plants were full grown. I
was thinking that a young plant needs less water, but now I wonder if
the amount should be about the same as for a grown plant, as it's the
ground that needs to be moist.


You need to re-check moisture for cucurbits fairly often as the weather
changes. If it is hot and dry (and windy) they can wilt through excessive
evapotranspiration even if the soil is moist because the roots and stem
cannot transport water fast enough for the large leaves. If it turns mild
and humid (cloudy) they will need far less water.

They have quite deep roots (particularly pumpkins) so you can aid this by
using fewer deep waterings than many shallow ones. The roots will go deeper
and tap into subsoil moisture making the plants more resilient. The deep
roots will in turn open up the soil in time.

Also allow the nodal roots to take in the soil, this improves growth overall
and to some extent insulates the plant against stem damage, stem borers and
the transport problems mentioned. Given enough room using this system the
plant can become so huge that you prune it with a ride-on mower and fill
wheelbarrows with fruit.


David