Think I need better water retention

barryla61 · July 8, 2012

I know we are having unsusally hot weather here in central VA, nearly 10 days with 100 degree temps. I have a raised bed and the plants in it are sucking up the water, having to water everyday (plants are wilting). Bed is mulched with newspaper topped off with grass clippings but is still drying up.
We may not have this kinda weather next year but I still would like to have better water retention. What could I add to it between end of harvest this year and next spring?

Worth1 · July 8, 2012

I have two questions to ask.
What soil do you have in your beds now?
And do you think maybe tree roots have came in and are sucking up the water?

Worth

RebelRidin · July 8, 2012

I am kind of wondering the same things as Worth. I am seeing the same weather here in MD. I am using drip line in my 12" raised beds. They are filled with 3 parts compost to 1 part loam topsoil. I am planting modified square foot and not even using any mulch. I had been watering twice per week at a rate equal to about 3/4" of rain. Since the triple digits hit I have gone to three times per week. Tomato plants aren't growing much or setting many fruit right now but they are doing fine. Beans, squash and cukes have kept producing well.

Worth1 · July 8, 2012

I have elephant ears growing in 40 gallon containers sunk in the ground with no holes in them for water drainage.

I have two I cant keep water in and they aren't doing well at all I thought I had a hole in them.
Yesterday I washed about 1 inch of soil from the up hill side and guess what.
These two containers had 3/4 inch tree roots that had grown over the top and into the containers.
These roots were the culprit all the time.

These roots will soon become more dead wood to rot and feed the elephant ears.

This is why I asked the root question.

Worth

OneDahlia · July 9, 2012

You could just get pregnant -- 8 months along here and it's hot, I've got excellent water retention.

Sun City Linda · July 9, 2012

Oh Dahlia- I feel for you in all the heat you are getting!

OneDahlia · July 9, 2012

Linda, thanks -- I've been hiding out indoors almost all the time, very thankful for a/c. Just couldn't resist that post.

meadowyck · July 9, 2012

OneDahlia, oh my you poor thing, I remember with my son, thank goodness he was early, in the heat of August and the base in MD wouldn't put the A/C on as they were due for a base inspection and wanted the utilities to stay low, oh the water retention, feet, ankles and legs started to never go down after a night in A/C.

I hope your heat wave is soon gone so the last bit is somewhat easier....

jerryinfla · July 9, 2012

As has been said, tree roots, might be the problem so double digging this fall/early spring might help. Also, adding organic matter should help with water retention.

johnyoga2 · July 10, 2012

How about rotting logs? Google Hugelkultur. It's an interesting concept that seems to make sense but I don't know if anything would work in the conditions we have now. We are in our sixth week without rain temps 90/100's. Things here are pretty dry.

Worth1 · July 10, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneDahlia

You could just get pregnant -- 8 months along here and it's hot, I've got excellent water retention.

You know when I first read the title to this thread I thought the same thing.

But being a man and not supposed to know of such things I thought better of it.

Worth

lakelady · July 10, 2012

My plants are in compost and leaf mold and they are drying out fast too. I think peat moss is supposed to hold a lot of water, which is why it is not recommended for seed starting due to damping off.

My grass is all CRUNCHY! and brown. Good news is no mowing required. Bad news is I have no greens for the compost heap!

OneDahlia · July 12, 2012

Jan, that sounds like torture!

No wonder your son was early -- he must have thought it might be cooler outside, lol. Seriously so grateful for the luxury of a/c.

Worth, I'm so glad it wasn't just me!

I'm kind of flattered that my sense of humor lined up with yours here.

Barry, I'm sorry for derailing your thread a bit! Thank goodness that heat wave has broken. But I'm betting there must be something drinking up your water too, because I'm here in VA too and I didn't even have to water my eggplant containers every day, much less the regular garden. Last year, when I mulched with straw, I almost never had to water the tomatoes at all, even though we had some severe heat then too. Granted, my garden doesn't get full sun all day, but that just seems too fast to dry out here.

July 8, 2012	#1
barryla61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bedford, VA Posts: 257	Think I need better water retention I know we are having unsusally hot weather here in central VA, nearly 10 days with 100 degree temps. I have a raised bed and the plants in it are sucking up the water, having to water everyday (plants are wilting). Bed is mulched with newspaper topped off with grass clippings but is still drying up. We may not have this kinda weather next year but I still would like to have better water retention. What could I add to it between end of harvest this year and next spring?

July 8, 2012	#3
RebelRidin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Posts: 993	I am kind of wondering the same things as Worth. I am seeing the same weather here in MD. I am using drip line in my 12" raised beds. They are filled with 3 parts compost to 1 part loam topsoil. I am planting modified square foot and not even using any mulch. I had been watering twice per week at a rate equal to about 3/4" of rain. Since the triple digits hit I have gone to three times per week. Tomato plants aren't growing much or setting many fruit right now but they are doing fine. Beans, squash and cukes have kept producing well. __________________ George _____________________________ "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure." Thomas Jefferson, 1787

July 9, 2012	#8
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	OneDahlia, oh my you poor thing, I remember with my son, thank goodness he was early, in the heat of August and the base in MD wouldn't put the A/C on as they were due for a base inspection and wanted the utilities to stay low, oh the water retention, feet, ankles and legs started to never go down after a night in A/C. I hope your heat wave is soon gone so the last bit is somewhat easier.... __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

July 9, 2012	#9
jerryinfla Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 377	As has been said, tree roots, might be the problem so double digging this fall/early spring might help. Also, adding organic matter should help with water retention. __________________ Jerry - You only get old if you're lucky.

July 10, 2012	#12
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	My plants are in compost and leaf mold and they are drying out fast too. I think peat moss is supposed to hold a lot of water, which is why it is not recommended for seed starting due to damping off. My grass is all CRUNCHY! and brown. Good news is no mowing required. Bad news is I have no greens for the compost heap! __________________ Antoniette

July 8, 2012	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I have two questions to ask. What soil do you have in your beds now? And do you think maybe tree roots have came in and are sucking up the water? Worth

July 9, 2012	#5
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	You could just get pregnant -- 8 months along here and it's hot, I've got excellent water retention.

July 9, 2012	#6
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Oh Dahlia- I feel for you in all the heat you are getting!

July 10, 2012	#10
johnyoga2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: INDIANA Posts: 6	How about rotting logs? Google Hugelkultur. It's an interesting concept that seems to make sense but I don't know if anything would work in the conditions we have now. We are in our sixth week without rain temps 90/100's. Things here are pretty dry.

July 12, 2012	#13
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	Jan, that sounds like torture! No wonder your son was early -- he must have thought it might be cooler outside, lol. Seriously so grateful for the luxury of a/c. Worth, I'm so glad it wasn't just me! I'm kind of flattered that my sense of humor lined up with yours here. Barry, I'm sorry for derailing your thread a bit! Thank goodness that heat wave has broken. But I'm betting there must be something drinking up your water too, because I'm here in VA too and I didn't even have to water my eggplant containers every day, much less the regular garden. Last year, when I mulched with straw, I almost never had to water the tomatoes at all, even though we had some severe heat then too. Granted, my garden doesn't get full sun all day, but that just seems too fast to dry out here.