Why Do We Over Watter??

[berryman]

Remember how different the climate is in other places. I have known people who have moved here from other areas and they are freaked out when not only does it not rain for months, sometimes there is not a single cloud in the sky for months with humidity in the single digits.
I also dig down into the root zone as it is the only way to tell how much moisture is down there.

[Worth1]

Speaking of rain.
One time I was at 29 Palms California in the Marines and some guys got the idea they would put their tent up in a bomb crater.
It came a torrential downpour, filled the crater up and all of their stuff was under water.

Worth

[Lindalana]

I do not believe I overwater, since raised beds and containers needs frequent watering when it is not raining. My perennial garden is never watered and does fine. Now I do overfertilize for sure. It is not that I use double of Miracle Grow every week... I just like to play with alchemy of things, mix my own, work with biology etc. This year I am trying to find balance between mycos and phosphorus applications. Like right now plants are loaded with greenies, I can see they are stressed with the job. What do I add? Tiny bit of MAP/ monamonnium phosphate/ or humic/fulvic/kelp with endo/inoculants?

[jhouse]

I probably overwatered today -- maybe not -- because my weather forecast is often incorrect. If I count on thunderstorms, or just rain, often we don't get it. So this a.m. I watered just in case. Hopefully it doesn't rain much

[dmforcier]

Weeks and weeks with wet feet will kill a fellow. But short term "over-watering" isn't a problem. Don't worry about it.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Weeks and weeks with wet feet will kill a fellow. But short term "over-watering" isn't a problem. Don't worry about it.

Especially if it is very hot! I find over watering hard to do without the help of mother nature in my raised beds especially during the summer months. Lack of water in the heat causes massive bloom drop and failure to set fruit. I finally was able to set out my last 20 seedlings for fall this morning after we got a half inch of rain last night.

Bill

[clkeiper]

No way to over water here! it is as arid as can be. I run the water daily... Good thing my dear husband thinks we need things like drip tape to get it done. Today the farmer across the road where we grow corn came to get my roll to set up some drip on the corn. dear man. It is sooo dry here. cracks in the ground everywhere. maple trees are droopy-wilted. the vinca in the beds and the trees there are wilted. We need a few days of gentle rain. if it rains fast it will just run off at this point.

[rhoder551]

I know I over water frequently... My garden is in a community garden and I cannot get there every day, so I compensate by giving my plants water when I am there whether or not they need it, just in case I can't make it for 3 or 4 days.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by whoose

We all do it and try not to over water. Is it part of our DNA from evolving from arid areas of Africa?

I did this with my green house toms and have upward curling disorder.

How about some of your examples.

I also blame DNA.

On a serious note, we the humans think that plants actually DRINK water. That thinking leads to watering even when the soil has plenty of moisture.

Yesterday was sunny and 86F. All my tomato plants were droopy. I check the soil >> plenty of moisture and I told them : NO
Gardeneer

[Hellmanns]

I use drip irrigation. When tomatoes start setting fruits, I keep them wet. When people ask how much I water I tell them at any time I like to be able to stick my finger up to my knuckle in the soil.

Plants basically drink, and eat through a straw, if the soil isn't moist they can't eat.

[Chosemerveille]

I too use drip irrigation. I have a La Crosse rain gauge connected to their weather monitor in my office in the house to give me a baseline for the week. I typically water every other day for 30 or so minutes when there's no rain. My raised beds are 2 feet deep so hopefully, this gives me some margin of error. I find myself watering less every year as I get a better grasp of actually paying attention to my plants. The bed I water most frequently is my lettuce & greens bed, especially when it's all stupid hot in the mid to upper '90's.

[Ed of Somis]

I have only been seriously growing maters for 3 years. I have come a long way...but certainly do not know what many others here know regarding maters. However, I have grown avocados and other fruit trees with drip irrigation for 32 years. I know a bit about it. I get tickled at the folks that make hard and fast statements...sometimes well-meaning. If you think that putting a long line of drippers on a system and calling it good is the way to go...you are mistaken. I constantly "walk the line" to see what is really going on with each dripper/mister. There are so many variables besides them just becoming clogged. Old fashioned work and time spent...is the way to succeed. I guess that is true with most things in life. As I have stated before...my weather is so good...that even I can be a good gardener. You all that have rough weather are the real troopers!

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

I have only been seriously growing maters for 3 years. I have come a long way...but certainly do not know what many others here know regarding maters. However, I have grown avocados and other fruit trees with drip irrigation for 32 years. I know a bit about it. I get tickled at the folks that make hard and fast statements...sometimes well-meaning. If you think that putting a long line of drippers on a system and calling it good is the way to go...you are mistaken. I constantly "walk the line" to see what is really going on with each dripper/mister. There are so many variables besides them just becoming clogged. Old fashioned work and time spent...is the way to succeed. I guess that is true with most things in life. As I have stated before...my weather is so good...that even I can be a good gardener. You all that have rough weather are the real troopers!

I used drip irrigation for years before abandoning it in favor of hand watering. I found that the inconsistency of the drippers drove me crazy. Some would put out too much water while others wouldn't put out any or very little. I ended up having to hand water every bed after running my drip irrigation when it was really hot and dry. The other thing that drove me to the brink was leaks or burst hoses. I finally just gave up and went back to using a very heavy mulch and hand watering.

Bill

[Worth1]

You pay for what you get when it comes to drip.
I think the best is the bubblers I have used these for a long time on some stuff and they never stop working.

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/Hu...les-s/8717.htm

[Chosemerveille]

Originally Posted by b54red

I used drip irrigation for years before abandoning it in favor of hand watering. I found that the inconsistency of the drippers drove me crazy. Some would put out too much water while others wouldn't put out any or very little. I ended up having to hand water every bed after running my drip irrigation when it was really hot and dry. The other thing that drove me to the brink was leaks or burst hoses. I finally just gave up and went back to using a very heavy mulch and hand watering.

Bill

Knock wood, I've never had any issues with my drip irrigation that wasn't caused by me (poorly punched holes for connections etc.). I get all of my stuff from the Drip Store. I've found that once you get any meaningful growth (especially where my flowers and herbs are planted, which are spaced more tightly) I wouldn't be able to water without drenching the leaves, never mind I'd never be able to portion the water out as well as the drip tubes and my established zones do (I have 7 valve controlled zones plus two hose hookups on either end of the garden to use as needed).