Normally when we talk about water-wise gardening, we are talking about ornamentals.  Vegetable gardeners need to be water-wise, too.  Vegetables require a lot of water, relatively speaking.  It is our responsibility as gardeners to give them what they require in the most efficient manner possible. 

Oscillating Sprinklers Ineffecient

First the means of watering:  use a soaker hose or drip irrigation.  Oscillating sprinklers can lost 40% of the water they put out to evaporation in the warmth of a summer sun.  That means if you put out ten gallons, only six reach the ground.  You still pay for ten, of course.  You can also get a ticket for violating watering restrictions, if they have them where you live.

Soaker Hoses

Soaker hoses are very inexpensive now and can be laid down easily.  To tell how much water they put out, use an empty tuna can and bury it even with the soil line, then drape the hose as if watering plants.  Turn on the hose and check to see how long it takes to get one inch of water in the tuna can.  Remember that number.  That is how long the hose needs to run each time you water.

Drip Irrigation

Drip irrigation is the most water-wise method of watering.  The water goes directly to the plant roots. It is best to run the drip irrigation until the water begins to pool, then turn it off.  Let the water absorb and then you can turn it back on if more water is needed.

How Much Water?

Now the amount:  the first week you transplant your vegetable plants, you will probably have to water them every couple of days.  Their roots are shallow and are still spreading out and developing their ability to soak up water.  After the first week or two, watering twice a week and applying an inch each time is usually sufficient.  You can use the tuna can test to tell how long to leave the water on in your garden.  If plants start to wilt between waterings, you may have to add a third watering. 

Too Much

Watering every day is excessive.  Not only do you risk problems such as blossom end rot, you give the plant roots no reason to grow deep and pick up ground moisture and nutrients. No, they can stay shallow because they get all this water every day.  But they are not as healthy and cannot utilize soil nutrients as easily. 

Encourage Root Growth

It is better to water less frequently but give the plants a good drink each time.  If you have mulch in your garden, it absorbs some of the water and acts as a time release water dispenser for your plants.  It also blocks weeds, which compete for water and nutrients.

In summary, to be good stewards of our resources, we need to water efficiently, water in the amounts our plants need, and use mulch to help keep the water in the soil and available to our plants.  This allows them to produce the maximum amount of produce for the least amount of water.

Want to learn to garden? My first attempt at gardening ended up in failure. The weeds took over and squeezed the vegetables out. I was very frustrated by this waste of good seed, time, and money. So I became a master gardener and spent a lot of time helping other people avoid or overcome problems in their garden. 

In order to help others garden successfully, I have written a book, Vegetable Gardening from the Ground Up, available in an ebook or a paperback from Amazon. It is also in Kindle Unlimited.