If you have good loamy soil, use a mulch on the bed to conserve moisture, are growing plants with reasonable water needs (not bog plants or "water hogs") live in a moderate summer climate (not the deep south), and your plants are established (not recently planted), then once a week is probably fine.
It's actually preferable to frequent watering, which can promote shallow roots. If once a week is working for your grass, it will probably be sufficient for your flowers.
If, on the other hand, you have sandy soil, don't use a mulch, and live in a blazing hot climate with the flower bed in full sun, you will need to water more often. You can gain a feel for what's needed in your particular situation by checking the soil moisture a few inches down every so often, and by observing how well your plants grow.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
why gardening is an art, not a science.....it just depends.
If you have good loamy soil, use a mulch on the bed to conserve moisture, are growing plants with reasonable water needs (not bog plants or "water hogs") live in a moderate summer climate (not the deep south), and your plants are established (not recently planted), then once a week is probably fine.
It's actually preferable to frequent watering, which can promote shallow roots. If once a week is working for your grass, it will probably be sufficient for your flowers.
If, on the other hand, you have sandy soil, don't use a mulch, and live in a blazing hot climate with the flower bed in full sun, you will need to water more often. You can gain a feel for what's needed in your particular situation by checking the soil moisture a few inches down every so often, and by observing how well your plants grow.
It's actually preferable to frequent watering, which can promote shallow roots. If once a week is working for your grass, it will probably be sufficient for your flowers.
If, on the other hand, you have sandy soil, don't use a mulch, and live in a blazing hot climate with the flower bed in full sun, you will need to water more often. You can gain a feel for what's needed in your particular situation by checking the soil moisture a few inches down every so often, and by observing how well your plants grow.
I would like to know how often that I should water my flower garden?
It depends on lots of individual factors, and how they interact.
What kinds of plants are you growing? Some plants droop in mid-day no matter how much water they get, because we try and grow things in climates they're not designed for. Others can take a beating that would kill most people. Marigolds, zinnias and portulaca are some good examples.
What's the soil like, in terms of drainage and water retention? Are you using a mulch? If so, what kind?
What are the microclimates like around your property? In other words, some flowers may be in beds up against the house. At my house, there can be a 3 hour downpour and some of the beds still remain bone dry. Other beds get rain, but much more wind than others, so they dry out faster than the beds in other spots.
Really, the best way to determine watering needs is to observe the plants themselves, and stick your fingers down into the soil up to your knuckles. If it's beginning to feel dry at that depth, it's time to water. If you grab a handful of soil from *BELOW* the surface and squeeze it into a ball, it should stay together, but crumble as easily as cake when you break it up.
What kinds of plants are you growing? Some plants droop in mid-day no matter how much water they get, because we try and grow things in climates they're not designed for. Others can take a beating that would kill most people. Marigolds, zinnias and portulaca are some good examples.
What's the soil like, in terms of drainage and water retention? Are you using a mulch? If so, what kind?
What are the microclimates like around your property? In other words, some flowers may be in beds up against the house. At my house, there can be a 3 hour downpour and some of the beds still remain bone dry. Other beds get rain, but much more wind than others, so they dry out faster than the beds in other spots.
Really, the best way to determine watering needs is to observe the plants themselves, and stick your fingers down into the soil up to your knuckles. If it's beginning to feel dry at that depth, it's time to water. If you grab a handful of soil from *BELOW* the surface and squeeze it into a ball, it should stay together, but crumble as easily as cake when you break it up.
I would like to know how often that I should water my flower garden?
It depends on lots of individual factors, and how they interact.
What kinds of plants are you growing? Some plants droop in mid-day no matter how much water they get, because we try and grow things in climates they're not designed for. Others can take a beating that would kill most people. Marigolds, zinnias and portulaca are some good examples.
What's the soil like, in terms of drainage and water retention? Are you using a mulch? If so, what kind?
What are the microclimates like around your property? In other words, some flowers may be in beds up against the house. At my house, there can be a 3 hour downpour and some of the beds still remain bone dry. Other beds get rain, but much more wind than others, so they dry out faster than the beds in other spots.
Really, the best way to determine watering needs is to observe the plants themselves, and stick your fingers down into the soil up to your knuckles. If it's beginning to feel dry at that depth, it's time to water. If you grab a handful of soil from *BELOW* the surface and squeeze it into a ball, it should stay together, but crumble as easily as cake when you break it up.
What kinds of plants are you growing? Some plants droop in mid-day no matter how much water they get, because we try and grow things in climates they're not designed for. Others can take a beating that would kill most people. Marigolds, zinnias and portulaca are some good examples.
What's the soil like, in terms of drainage and water retention? Are you using a mulch? If so, what kind?
What are the microclimates like around your property? In other words, some flowers may be in beds up against the house. At my house, there can be a 3 hour downpour and some of the beds still remain bone dry. Other beds get rain, but much more wind than others, so they dry out faster than the beds in other spots.
Really, the best way to determine watering needs is to observe the plants themselves, and stick your fingers down into the soil up to your knuckles. If it's beginning to feel dry at that depth, it's time to water. If you grab a handful of soil from *BELOW* the surface and squeeze it into a ball, it should stay together, but crumble as easily as cake when you break it up.
My understanding is that....
My understanding is that I only need to water my lawn once a week, as long as I add at least one inch of water when I water my lawn. Of course I need to water more often if the weather is hot and dry or if I have added grass seeds. I am wondering whether I can apply the same approach to flower garden watering.
I am asking this not only to learn the frequency of watering, but also to determine if I need to use an automated watering system for the flower garden. If I only need to water once a week, I can easily do this manually without using an automated system. If I need to water as frequent as every other day, I think I am better off using an automated system.
I am asking this not only to learn the frequency of watering, but also to determine if I need to use an automated watering system for the flower garden. If I only need to water once a week, I can easily do this manually without using an automated system. If I need to water as frequent as every other day, I think I am better off using an automated system.
Flower gardening
Flower gardening is becoming more and more popular every day. Flowers can brighten everyone's day, they smell nice, and are a great hobby.
Flower gardening is simple, inexpensive, and loads of fun. Flower gardening can be done for yard decoration, simply as a hobby, or even professionally. There are some decisions that have to be made before even flower gardening can be started.
You must decide if you want annuals that live for one season and must be replanted every year, or perennials that survive the winter and return again in the summer. When buying and planting, pay attention to what kind of flowers thrive in your climate as well ass the sun requirements.
When flower gardening, you must decide what type of look you want before planting. For instance, mixing different heights, colors, and varieties of flowers together in a "wild-plant style" will give your garden a meadow look and can be very charming. If short flowers are planted in the front of your garden and work up to the tallest flowers in the back you will have a "stepping stone style"....
Flower gardening is simple, inexpensive, and loads of fun. Flower gardening can be done for yard decoration, simply as a hobby, or even professionally. There are some decisions that have to be made before even flower gardening can be started.
You must decide if you want annuals that live for one season and must be replanted every year, or perennials that survive the winter and return again in the summer. When buying and planting, pay attention to what kind of flowers thrive in your climate as well ass the sun requirements.
When flower gardening, you must decide what type of look you want before planting. For instance, mixing different heights, colors, and varieties of flowers together in a "wild-plant style" will give your garden a meadow look and can be very charming. If short flowers are planted in the front of your garden and work up to the tallest flowers in the back you will have a "stepping stone style"....
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