{"id":306,"date":"2010-05-07T16:22:00","date_gmt":"2010-05-07T15:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gsu.eventmedialabs.com\/?p=306"},"modified":"2015-06-04T16:36:59","modified_gmt":"2015-06-04T15:36:59","slug":"watering-vegetables-plants-seedlings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greensideup.ie\/watering-vegetables-plants-seedlings\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Tips for Watering Vegetables and Seedlings"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Water<\/p>\n

You may have noticed how all the plants started growing again recently after a few days of rain. Most vegetables benefit from a good soaking of the soil as water is taken up by the roots and then evaporated through the leaves. However, too much water can result in nutrients being washed out of their reach and encourages shallow, surface rooting. If you’re wondering if you’re watering vegetables or seedlings correctly, these tips might help.<\/p>\n

\"Waterlogged<\/a><\/p>\n

Waterlogging<\/strong>\u00a0can result in plants dying as their oxygen source will be cut off. Generally, however, more water is lost through evaporation than through bad drainage.<\/p>\n

No. 1: As a guide water thoroughly and gently. Don\u2019t be tempted to put the hose on full blast on each plant for a few seconds or you risk damaging seedlings and young plants. You\u2019ll also notice if you check the soil (stick your finger in it) that the surface area might be wet but the area you\u2019re trying to reach (where the roots are) is still dry so aim to keep the top 20 cm of soil moist.<\/p>\n

\"Watering<\/a><\/p>\n

No. 2: Soaking the soil with about 10 \u2013 15 litres\u00a0per square metre per week will really benefit Brassica crops if it’s dry. Water directly to the base of the plant \u2013 an upturned cut off plastic drinks bottle propped in the soil next to an established plant (especially squashes and tomatoes) is great for sending water directly where it\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n

No. 3:\u00a0Watering in the evening<\/strong> is also the\u00a0preferred\u00a0method, as the plants will absorb the water rather than losing it to evaporation, however this may attract slugs. In the morning the soil will be soft making for easier weeding. Make sure that the leaves are dry before nightfall however.<\/p>\n

No. 4:\u00a0Germinating seeds<\/strong> need water so always sow into moist soil or compost.<\/p>\n

No. 5:\u00a0One of the biggest killers of seedlings is watering incorrectly.<\/strong> They prefer to be watered from the base so stand them in trays and water the trays if possible. Alternatively use a watering can with a very fine \u2018rose\u2019 to prevent swamping the compost or try using a mister. Once compost has dried out it\u2019s very difficult to wet it through again.<\/p>\n

\"WateringNo. 6: Fruit and flowering plants<\/strong> such as tomatoes, beans and cucumbers need water to encourage their fruits to swell so heavy watering at this stage will increase yields.<\/p>\n

No. 7: Root crops<\/strong> need a steady supply of water \u2013 too much will result in more foliage rather than big roots so only water if the soil starts to dry out, increasing the frequency as the roots start to swell.<\/p>\n

No. 8: Crops that are grown for their leaves<\/strong> \u2013 spinach, lettuce, cabbages,\u00a0etc.,\u00a0need more water than root crops.<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. 9: Plants are more prone to fungal diseases if their leaves are watered<\/strong> rather than their roots.<\/p>\n

No. 10: Dig in as much bulky organic matter<\/strong> (compost or well-rotted manure) to increase the water-holding capacity of the soil.<\/p>\n

No. 11: strong>Mulch the soil surface after watering to prevent evaporation (add a layer of straw, compost or leaf mould on top of the soil and spread it around the plants).<\/p>\n

No. 12: Avoid cultivating soil in dry weather<\/strong>, as it will bring moisture to the surface, which can then evaporate.<\/p>\n

No. 13: Keep the soil as weed free as possible<\/strong> as the weeds will compete with the plants for water.<\/p>\n

No. 14: Put up wind breaks<\/strong>. Wind dries the soil quickly, again increasing the rate of evaporation.<\/p>\n

\"wind<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[print_link]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wondering whether you’ve been watering vegetables or seedlngs correctly? Here’s a few tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[563],"tags":[496,592,2178,2177],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n14 Tips for Watering Vegetables and Seedlings<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wondering whether you've been watering vegetables or seedlngs correctly? 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