Watering your garden is a concern for many individuals every summer. It is indeed difficult to find the right solution for watering your vegetable garden, its trees and shrubs, its beds and the plants that decorate the terrace. Everyone needs water to fight drought, but not everyone needs it in the same way. Let's take stock to find the solution to put in place.
What solutions for watering your vegetable garden?
To water your vegetable garden, the best solution is to set up a drip irrigation device or a microporous hose. These systems are very effective in properly watering the plantations, whether they are distanced plants or aligned seedlings. To do this, these devices should be placed parallel to your plantations.
These solutions are interesting for the vegetable garden in order to effectively fight against drought and to hydrate the plantations well. Indeed, unlike watering with a classic hose or watering can which can drown the plant or burn it, this system keeps the soil moist without risk of rotting. The plants are constantly or regularly hydrated and thus receive the quality of water they need without risk of lack.
Moreover, the advantage of this system is that it is quite usable and functional in your absence. Indeed, if you go on vacation, you just need to install a timer to continue watering your vegetable garden without having to involve a third party or risk losing everything when you return.
If you water with tap water and if you live in an area where it is calcareous, it is recommended to clean your installation regularly by soaking it in a bath of white vinegar. This will prevent your pipes from clogging and no longer being able to water anything.
What solutions for watering ornamental beds?
The watering needs of ornamental beds differ from those of the vegetable garden. Here are the solutions that can be implemented.
- The microporous hose or drip irrigation :this solution adapted to the vegetable garden can be used for watering ornamental beds which require a regular and almost permanent supply of water. On the other hand, the use will be different, because it is then necessary to make your installation meander among the plants that make up your beds. This device makes it possible to hydrate them continuously or almost and with a more localized efficiency. On the other hand, the aesthetics can leave something to be desired, because the pipes are relatively apparent. However, it is possible to hide them by covering them with dark mulch or wood bark. The use of drilled flat pipes is a similar method which is very suitable for this purpose. Do not hesitate to invest in the purchase of a programmable device in order to water in your absence or simply to limit your work. Water timers and all irrigation systems are available through the Gardena range.
- The watering can :to water small beds, you have two solutions. On the one hand, you can use a watering can with an apple pointing upwards or an extension adapted on a garden hose for watering your small fragile plants and your seedlings. To water the feet of your larger plantations (trees and shrubs), the watering can without nozzle and the classic garden hose are more suitable and more effective. Nevertheless, this solution is suitable for limited watering in size, because it quickly becomes tiring on large surfaces, especially with a watering can.
- Sprinkling :this comfortable solution is ideal for watering your lawns and ornamental beds without constraint. These sprinklers by turnstiles, sprinklers, balls or oscillators are very practical for watering large areas. These programmable systems can even be set to water your plants in your absence. On the other hand, the disadvantage of these devices remains their high water consumption and the impossibility of truly targeting watering. All the surrounding areas are hydrated, which promotes – at the same time – the growth of weeds everywhere.
What solutions for watering patio plantings?
If you have chosen to decorate your terrace with plants, you will also need to think about watering them. You have several solutions.
- The watering can :here again, the watering can remains the least expensive solution. All you have to do is water each plant as it should, directly or through a pear which will allow you not to drown a fragile foot. On the other hand, this system can be tiring if your terrace has many plants. Indeed, you risk multiplying the round trips by carrying your full watering can.
- Drip :if you have an outside tap near the terrace, you can install a drip system that can supply water to the plantations, provided that they are placed in large common containers.
- Gravity irrigation :in the absence of an outside tap, you can opt for a kit which consists of a water reserve to be placed at a height and a gravity watering system. It is certainly an unsightly solution, but very useful for watering the plants on your terrace if you have to be away.
- Porous ceramic tips :these tips are fixed on classic mineral water bottles and plug into the ground to keep it moist. The water is thus diffused gradually, which allows you to water your plants in case of absence. Thanks to these devices, 1.5 liters of water can water a plant for about 15 days. On the other hand, it is better not to have a well-stocked terrace under penalty of having to invest in the purchase of multiple tips.
How to water? At what moment ? With what water?
It is important, for efficient and healthy watering, to water outside of hot periods. Depending on your possibilities, prefer early in the morning or late in the evening. The best is nevertheless early in the morning and in quantity to allow the plants to hydrate well before the heat and to prevent the humidity from remaining on the leaves overnight, which favors the development of certain diseases. Watering in quantity will better refresh the soil and help the plants to develop their roots in depth in order to better withstand episodes of high heat.
Of course, you can water your plantations with tap water, but the use of rainwater collectors is also a good solution; it is even preferable since this water is devoid of limestone and chemical treatments.
