Watering question
 

Hey everyone, I have a question about watering.

Ok, here is my situation:

I have a backyard garden in boxes, over the past week or so we have gotten
at least a bit of rain every day but not every day has rained the same
amount and obviously not the same amount of water as I give them every day
when it does not rain.

So... what is the solution? Do I keep watering every day or water a bit when
it rains a bit and not at all when it rains hard?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
dave

Watering question
 

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 17:25:36 GMT, "Lattés"
wrote:

Hey everyone, I have a question about watering.

Ok, here is my situation:

I have a backyard garden in boxes, over the past week or so we have gotten
at least a bit of rain every day but not every day has rained the same
amount and obviously not the same amount of water as I give them every day
when it does not rain.

So... what is the solution? Do I keep watering every day or water a bit when
it rains a bit and not at all when it rains hard?

Any help is greatly appreciated.


For containers, I stick my finger into the soil. If it's
dry about one inch down, I water.

If it's wet about one inch down, no need.

Pat

Watering question
 

For containers, I stick my finger into the soil. If it's
dry about one inch down, I water.

If it's wet about one inch down, no need.

Pat

Is that wet or moist?

thanks
d

Watering question
 

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 19:40:24 GMT, "Lattés"
wrote:


For containers, I stick my finger into the soil. If it's
dry about one inch down, I water.

If it's wet about one inch down, no need.

Pat

Is that wet or moist?


Moist, thank you.

I find that containers dry out MUCH faster than things
planted in the ground. If there's any doubt about a
container needing water, I water it.

I think it's difficult to over-water an outdoor container.

Pat

Watering question
 

I think it's difficult to over-water an outdoor container.

That is kind of what I figured because they drain extra water out so easily,
thanks for the confirmation :)

Watering question
 

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 21:46:03 GMT, "Lattés"
wrote:


I think it's difficult to over-water an outdoor container.

That is kind of what I figured because they drain extra water out so easily,
thanks for the confirmation :)


You're welcome.

Last year, btw, I had I think 15 big black plant pots on our
deck and harvested a whole lot of different veggies from
them. This year, I have even more.

I love container gardening.

Pat

Watering question
 

I love container gardening.

Pat

Which brings up the question, what are the advantages and disadvantages to
container gardening.

Watering question
 

On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 15:26:33 GMT, "Lattés"
wrote:

I love container gardening.

Pat

Which brings up the question, what are the advantages and disadvantages to
container gardening.


One disadvantage: you do need to water much more often.
OTOH, little of the water is wasted - all goes to the plants
you're growing (except for the little bit that runs out the
drain holes).

Another: you need to have some kind of containers, and
something to fill them with - top soil mixed with peat, or
soil-less mix, or (as in my case) spent-mushroom-soil, etc.
If you use a soil-less mix or a low-nitrogen soil, you'd
obviously need to feed the plants as well.

Those are the only disadvantages I can think of.

Everything I've grown in containers has done wonderfully and
been very easy to tend. Almost no weeding necessary, the
plants have grown vigorously and been super-productive.

If you need to cover the plants with floating row cover
(cabbage butterflies, etc.), you can easily do so by making
a cage of chicken wire and covering that with the row cover.
Or by just draping the row cover directly over the plants.
Chicken-wire cages can also support shade-cloth for lettuce
in hot weather.

Pat