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Protect Water, A Precious Resource
By Pam King, Charles County Extension Agent
Plants may stop growing or even shrivel and die without water. However, the price to water our gardens gets higher and higher. During summer droughts, water may not be as available for our gardens. So, what can you do to use water more wisely?
Soak the soil deeply with water once a week to encourage the roots to grow downward and anchor the plant. For example, a vegetable or flower garden needs about one inch of water per week, which is enough to soak the soil six inches deep.
There may be times when your garden needs more water, such as during extreme heat when the ground dries rapidly or when rain falls so quickly it runs off rather than soaks into the soil. Even when you water more often, soak the soil each time rather than sprinkling lightly, which does not provide enough water for the plant. The thirsty roots grow toward the soil surface in search of water.
Watering during the evening is also not a wise use of water since cool, dark, wet conditions are perfect for the development and spread of plant diseases. Instead, water during daylight, preferably in the morning but before 5 o'clock in the afternoon. This allows the leaves to dry before sunset and helps prevent diseases. Under very hot conditions that scorch leaves, the water may actually cool the plant.
Mulch your garden with compost, dried grass clippings, straw, newspaper, or similar materials to reduce moisture loss and decrease the frequency for watering. Mulch will also keep down weeds and prevent the spread of certain diseases.
Tall fescue and other cool weather grasses do not look as green during very hot weather and may stop growing, a good thing for the person who has to mow it. As cooler fall weather and rainy periods begin, lawns will green up.
Do not water your lawn unless it takes on a grayish cast and footprints remain after someone has walked across it, and then water only if you can continue watering. The lawn will suffer more from having the supply cut off after it has begun to grow than from never being watered.
Water container plants when the soil is dusty dry to a depth of one to two inches. Then water heavily until the excess seeps out from the drainage holes to ensure the soil is moist. During hot dry weather, check containers several times a day since they can dry out rapidly.
Gardeners may also conserve water by using a rain barrel or creating a rain garden to utilize rainwater for the garden.
Gray water is also is a potential source for watering if it contains only mild soap and no harsh chemicals.
Art by Jessi Thibault
A Charles County Master Gardener Volunteer
Gray water is household wash water collected from sources such as the bathtub, shower, sink, or washing machine. Shower and bath water are generally preferable since kitchen water may contain grease and washing machines may contain harsher ingredients. Do not use toilet water or wash water for diapers. Soaps and detergents are biodegradable but can cause problems if used over long periods. Most cleaning agents contain sodium salts, large amounts of which can damage soil structure, make the soil too alkaline, and damage plants. Detergents that advertise softening power will have a large amount of sodium based compounds.
If you want to use water from the washing machine, use less bleach and do not use detergents or additives containing boron, which can be toxic to plants. If you want to use household cleaning water in the garden, use ammonia rather than chorine to clean.
Gray water is usually carried by hand in buckets to the garden, although it is possible to siphon it or develop other systems for delivery.
Use gray water first to water flowers and other ornamentals except azaleas and rhododendrons, which do not like alkaline conditions.
In the vegetable garden, it is best to use gray water only on fruiting crops like tomatoes and squash, and use fresh water for leafy vegetables and root crops. Do not apply gray water to seedlings, as they often cannot withstand its impurities.
Apply the gray water directly to the soil surface and try to minimize splashing onto plants. Use it on flat areas so that runoff does not become a problem. Apply it over a broach area to avoid concentrating it.
Rotate applications of gray water with fresh water to leach out contaminants that might build up. Also apply thick organic mulches, like compost, to areas where you use gray water as they speed the natural decomposition of waste residues.
Water is a precious resource. Use it wisely.
Last updated: 09/25/2009