A furrow of water dug eight inches from the tomato stems, then moved eight inches further out a month later, teaches roots to hunt deeper for moisture. Combine that with mulch, micro-pore tubing and watering at first light, and a summer garden meets drought with the upper hand.
Has your garden ever suffered from drought in the past?
Get ready for it starting early in spring with the planting of resistant heirloom and local varieties.
In regions where summers tend to be very dry, forget about water-loving plants altogether! Go for drought-loving plants instead.
This a great way to make gardening a cinch and work towards saving the environment, too.
Bring the sowing forward so that your plants may bask in the mild, moist spring weather and grow faster. Go for mulch, and remember to wet the ground first before spreading it. Organize your growing beds in such a manner that smaller, weaker plants are sheltered by taller shade-dispensing older plants.
If your vegetable patch is in direct sunlight, plant a field hedge around it in fall to protect it from the sun, all your plants will take advantage of its soothing shade.
Teach roots to dig into the soil for water by maximizing your watering. For instance, water your tomato by watering abundantly in a furrow around 8 inches (20 cm) from the foot of the plants. A month later, move the furrow 8 inches (20 cm) further away. This method teaches the roots to grow to reach water at a greater distance or deeper down.
Each way of delivering water behaves differently once it reaches the soil. Here is what the article recommends for each, and the precaution that goes with it.
| Method | How the water reaches the roots | Best used for | Key precaution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro-pore tube system | Absorbed through the ground rather than over the surface | Permanent beds and rows | Roots may gather around the tubing |
| Whole-surface soak | Abundant watering over the entire planting surface | Extended dry spells alongside a drip system | Keeps roots from clustering around the drip line |
| Oscillating sprinklers or misters | Rain-like fall that must dampen the soil to 4 inches (10 cm) | Larger planted areas | Wet leaves invite fungal disease |
| Furrow moved outwards | Abundant watering in a furrow 8 inches (20 cm) from the stems, shifted a further 8 inches a month later | Tomatoes and other deep-rooting crops | Needs to be moved on schedule to work |
| Watering can filled with collected rainwater | Poured straight at the base of thirsty plants | Flower beds and garden boxes | Water taken from the spout must be collected first |
Whichever method you use, water in the early morning and keep the foliage dry.
Set up a micro-pore tube system: water will be absorbed through the ground and the plant won’t suffer from surface watering. In case of extended dry spell, water the entire planting surface abundantly, so that roots don’t gather around the drip system. Use oscillating sprinklers or misters long enough for the soil to dampen down to a depth of 4 inches (10 cm). To avoid fungal diseases, it is always best to water in the early morning, and above all avoid getting the leaves wet.
Collect rain water from the spout and use a watering can for flower beds or garden boxes that require a lot of water.
M.-C. H.
