Today’s video shows the 9 things I do most often when it comes to watering to ensure that I save time and effort whilst promoting healthy plants in the vegetable garden. Whilst I find watering fun and therapeutic, sometimes I need to be able to get the most done with my time if things are particularly busy. I really hope you find these tips useful.
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Introduction 0:00
Sowing seeds around the weather 0:58
When is the best time to water? 1:51
Watering hack for gardeners 2:18
Why no dig reduces the need to water 3:07
How to water plants in pots and trays 3:55
Direct sown seeds watering hack 5:07
How to water mature plants 6:14
How to water tomatoes and squash 7:04
How do I know plants need water? 7:55
Summary 8:31
#watering #vegetablegardening #growfood
The plank idea doesn't work. If you water a seed row and place a plank over the top to reduce evaporation, you also create a shelter for slugs and your seedlings will be grazed off as soon as they emerge.
One thing you can do with stand-alone plants like courgettes is to sink a plant pot next to the plant when you first put it into the bed and use the plant pot to water the plant. Water will leave the pot by the drainage holes in the bottom and find the plant roots more directly.
I seem to remember a while back watching Huw do a modern day upcycled 'olla' with a tetra pack with holes in it, buried into the bed next to thirsty plants such as courgette.
I am considering this with my hanging baskets, ( using small yogurt pot or small bottle with holes in) as although I have put a little reservoir in the bottom before filling with soil and planting up, they still get water dripping through the liners (even when double lined).
Has anyone else tried this? and how successful is / was it?
I have lettuce in some hanging baskets and cherry tomatoes & nasturtiums in others.
Good info thanks
Hi Huw,
I was told that I do not need to water potatoes until they flower. First of all.. Is that advice correct? And secondly, how often should I water if that advice isn't correct?
Thank you for these tips!
Great tips! My favorite was the barrel with the watering can. This is something I need to do in the orchard and kitchen garden!
Aprendo muito com Você.
Gratidão.
I like that watering can. Where'd you get it?
Do you have any insta account?
great tips Huw! Filling the watering can from the barrel takes me back to my allotment days 😀
Have you considered using a drip or soaked hose. Drip irrigation is used in Israel's arid land to conserve water. Saves time as well.
Great video!!!!! Question; Looking to start a sustainable garden and to buy my first land plot, Huw can you tell me how long to pesticides and chemicals last in the soil? How long do I have to wait to plant something that will end on my plate?
Some great tips! Just a small suggestion, when using open barrels for water try to have a lid for them when not in use.
Small animals can fall into the open barrel and drown. So save yourself the lesson I learned the hard way and have some kind of lid – I now use a bin lid for one and a roadworks sign and some broken bricks for another …
I always water in an evening so it has all night to soak in
Love the soil bowl tip!! Thank you! Would you recommend using an irrigation setup for a raised bed?
Im drier areas its not a bad shout to look into utilizing swales to retain more water
How do you deter slugs from your plants?
Dear you, what tool are you using at Min. 8.15?
I agree with your views on no dig, but with one very important caveat: in a very small garden it is reasonable, as you can probably produce enough of your own compost, or only need to buy in very litte. However, once the area gets bigger (I have around 50 sq m of vegetable beds in rotation), I cannot produce enough own compost for the whole area such that I have say 3-4 cms of compost on all the beds. I have bought in from the local recycling plant in order to compensate. However, one is never sure just what is in the compost (even here in Germany), and it costs us retail buyers simply too much – because we are not selling our produce.
My answer is to rotate with a combination of green cover crops on the areas that profited from real compost in the finishing season, and use my own compost and very little bought in compost for the area that will be used for the potatoes and carrots in the following season. This is a compromise, as it does entail working in the green cover crop, but I think that the combination may even be better for soil health in the end, as the soil is being fed not just compost, but cover crops as well, in rotation.
I wish we had as much rain here in Mönchengladbach as you do in Wales, and I am envious of your set up. But I am 70 years old, only turned to vegetable growing 5 years ago, and to be honest, the sort of area you are „farming“ is very much a young man‘s job.
But I do enjoy your videos, and I love your Welsh accent!!
great tips. thank you.
I have yet to find a watering can where the water comes out (the spout end) faces away from the plant in the US. I have several watering cans where the spout faces out towards the plant. I enjoy watering my plants because I get to look over my plants & check the health of my plants/veggies/trees. Enjoy your videos.
Thank you Huw for the different ways to water. It was very interesting.
My question has to do with leggy veg growing under lights. I have 2 fluorescent lights 6500K (daylight ) each. What can I do to avoid that problem?
Your insights will be appreciated. Many thanks.
i think the best time of the day to water is during night because the water gets absorbed almost completely with very little evaporation so the plants are ready for the sun when it comes. Im a night owl. But the best time to PICK is actually in the beginnin of the mornin because everything is filled with water which didnt start evaporatin yet. So water before sleep, pick after sleep i guess.
although its not smart to water during night in really cold weather since the cold water can and will damage non winter hardy plants.
Great video! I live in the PNW and although it's usually pretty rainy, we're experiencing some abnormally dry weather. One question about the rain, sometimes I find that directly sowing just before a heavy rain causes some of my seeds to shift. Is there a way to prevent that? I saw in another video, the trench method, maybe I should try that …
Hello Huw, great tips as usual and I am amazed how your garden getting beautiful with every passing day. Its so peaceful to see you working. Stay blessed