For home gardeners, there are many alternative ways to […]
For home gardeners, there are many alternative ways to irrigate the vegetable garden, which are simple to use and work well. Watering can or garden hose is the simplest, suitable for small gardens. Garden hoses should have fan nozzles or adjustable spray attachments. When watering with a hose, direct low-pressure water to the bottom of the plant, not the branches and leaves. Garden hose reels are a simple and very convenient way to store hoses when not in use. Other options for watering are portable lawn sprinklers and infuser hoses. There is another best way to save water: drip irrigation or drip irrigation. This method does require special equipment, but depending on your situation, it may be the most effective and necessary one.
There are many different types of sprinklers. Overhead sprinklers sprinkle water over the garden, providing multiple watering modes and area coverage. They are very convenient, and sometimes you can enjoy the pattern display. However, their water efficiency is not very high. Most sprinklers deposit less water on the outer edge of the spray and more water on the central water source. Sprinklers need to be placed in staggered positions to provide overlap. This may cause excessive water use in some areas. Moreover, if the weather is hot or windy, a large amount of water will be lost when it evaporates, especially with small droplets. Swing sprinklers spray water evenly than overhead sprinklers. The area they cover can be adjusted to a square or rectangle to make the overlap problem more controllable. When water is sprayed on the leaves, it may increase disease problems. In order to reduce the chance of disease outbreaks, the water in the morning and during the day will naturally evaporate.
The soaker hose is a cheap and easy to irrigate water saving device. It is made of plastic or canvas and allows water to slowly penetrate along its entire length. Water is saved because the water flows directly to the ground near the factory. There is almost no water loss because no runoff occurs and no evaporation occurs. The gentle water flow will not compact the soil or cause muddy water splashes on your vegetables. Another method, drip irrigation or trickle system is very suitable for raised beds or container gardens. The short pipe or transmitter may fall off the main water supply hose. The emitter makes the water flow directly to the roots of the desired plant, drying the leaves and all fruits. You replace the lost water with a drip irrigation system every day. Filters or self-flushing transmitters can be included in the system to prevent clogging. Due to the small amount of water used, the drip irrigation system is a cost-effective irrigation tool.
Always pay attention to the growth period of vegetables, when there should be enough water. The first few weeks after planting or transplanting seedlings are periods when plants are adversely affected by insufficient water.