How long to water

In these times of water restrictions, how do you know how long to water you garden for?

Before you water your garden dig a hole, about 30cm deep to check just how dry it is.

Then water your garden for the regular amount of time and wait about 15 minutes to allow gravity to do its work.

Dig another hole nearby and check the water penetration.

This will give you an indication of what's going on below the surface.

The sandier your soil is the quicker the water will drain away.

With sandy soil, you really are fighting a losing battle and wasting a lot of time.

Add manure or compost around your plants.

This will help retain some moisture as well as feed your plants and make your efforts more rewarding.

If when you water it just runs off with little soaking in, composting and adding manure will also help.

You may also need to add a wetting agent that will break the surface tension of the soil and allow the water to soak in.

With our present water restrictions, you could look at dividing your garden into sections, watering each section thoroughly ensuring that the water is getting down to where it is most needed.

Shallow watering encourages shallow roots that can dry out and dye.

Also add mulch.

There are many products out there, just make sure that you use the best one for your garden and one that has good water retention.

When it does rain, use it wisely.

Add your fertilizers and top up the amount of water if it hasn't rained enough.

Janice Rutherford, Ettalong