Irrigation–Watering Your Garden

There are many options for watering your garden. Here are the pros and cons of each method.

Bucket

Here is the simplest method of watering your garden–a bucket of sun-warmed water with a cup or pitcher. This is what I use until I turn on my irrigation system. In his book, Mel Bartholemew suggests using a cup, and watering one cup per plant. That is a little too tedious for me, so I’ve upgraded to a pitcher. He recommends “sun-warmed” water because it gives the soil and plants a little heat boost, which is nice during cooler weather.

Pros	Cons
Minimal equipment needed Inexpensive Anyone can do it Applies water to soil only	Labor intensive Not automated

Hand watering also forces you to visit your garden on a regular basis to water and tend the plants. You are more likely to notice early signs of damage or disease. I water this way in the early spring, but soon I get tired of sweating it out just to give my plants a drink. Also, you have to find a friend to come water if you go on vacation.

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Hose

Another simple irrigation method is to water your garden with a hose. Although it is easy, it has a few more drawbacks. Like the bucket method, it requires a friend or neighbor if you want to go on vacation. Using a hose showers the leaves so you are more likely to have problems with mold and fungus. Also, it’s hard to ensure a very even watering, or to water deeply.

Pros	Cons
Minimal equipment needed Inexpensive Anyone can do it	Labor intensive Not automated Applies water to leaves Possible disease Soil is loose and splatters around

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Soaker Hose

Another option is to purchase a soaker hose–this is a special kind of hose that is porous and allows water to seep out slowly. This is less work, but you have to remember to turn it on and (more importantly) off. You can’t control which plants receive more water, and it doesn’t water very evenly. Still, this is a viable option that many gardeners like to use.

Pros	Cons
Minimal equipment needed Inexpensive Anyone can do it Applies water to the soil only	Not automated Have to turn it on and off Uneven watering

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PVC and Spray Nozzles

If you are handy, you can put together an above ground sprinkler system with PVC and sprinkler heads that will attach to your hose. While the spray nozzles will water the leaves, you can choose different nozzles for different plants, thus customizing the optimal amount of water. PVC is meant to be buried; the sun and wind will dry it out over time making it brittle. Like the soaker hose, this has to be manually turned on and off.

Pros	Cons
Less work Waters more evenly Custom watering	Not automated Have to turn it on and off Applies water to leaves Possible disease Requires supplies and know-how

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Timer

If you are using a soaker hose or PVC system, you might try adding a timer. This would automate your system. I have a friend who has done this, and she says the timer usually lasts about a year.

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Automatic Sprinklers

If you have automatic sprinklers, you can either “mooch” off the existing nozzles by extending the spray to cover the garden, or install new sprinkler heads specifically for the garden areas.

Pros	Cons
Automatic Easy	Applies water to leaves Possible disease Mooch-can’t control amount of water Sprinkler head–Requires supplies and know-how

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Automated Drip Irrigation System

If you can, using an automated drip irrigation system is ideal. Water is dripped directly onto the soil, and you can adjust the amount of water for each type of plant. This method is more expensive up front, although the cost can be reduced if you have the skills to install it yourself. Follow this link for detailed instructions on building an automated irrigation system.

The only other disadvantage is that it does not make you visit your garden so often, so you might miss early signs of disease or distress among your plants.

Pros	Cons
Automatic Easy Applies water to soil only Custom watering	Requires supplies and know-how

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