Watering on My Mind

This season I wanted to pay extra attention to water for the yard and garden. Yes, clean water is a precious environmental resource – not to be wasted, but the vegetables need enough to be productive, plus my shrubs and trees need the right amount for best health, too.

I began by more regularly digging into the soil with a trowel to see what was actually happening down there. Was the soil really dry under the mulch? Did the plants need water again, so soon?

I found that the extra effort paid off. I have been surprised more than once – thinking that the plants looked fine when the soil was quite dry down six inches. The plants would have wilted in another day. Just as often, I’ve thought that several hot days must have dried out the soil, only to find that it was still moist just under the surface. (Must be all that organic matter I add!)

And I think the garden shows the difference. So, save water by using it well. Water when the plant needs it, and – as my friend Greg advises – not just because it’s Tuesday or because you have the hose in your hand.