Hand watering can be very efficient if it is done properly. Each plant can be watered based on its needs, and water can be applied directly to the ground rather than solely overtop as with the overhead sprinklers.
If the plant is getting too much water, simply water less. On the negative side, hand watering can be a hassle for a variety of reasons - dragging a hose around your property, the amount of invested in watering all your plants, and inconsistency in the amount of water your plants receive if you are in a hurry.
Hand watering is the most effective way to see that your grass is really getting the water it needs. Sprinkler methods lose a lot of water to evaporation as water is sprayed through the air and can cause runoff if you don't move a portable sprinkler regularly.
Hand-watering requires labor each time plants need water. Drip systems require less labor on a day-to-day basis but require recurring labor to set up and maintain. Drip emitters can also clog, leading to non-uniform irrigation.
Drip irrigation is the most water-efficient way to irrigate many different plantings. It is an ideal way to water in clay soils because the water is applied slowly, allowing the soil to absorb the water and avoid runoff. Drip devices use a fraction of the water that overhead spray devices use.
Watering Plants and Lawns Efficiently
DO water early in the morning when sunlight is weakest, the ground is coolest and foliage will have hours to dry before nightfall. Aim for between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. DON'T water in the evening when soil is warm and wet foliage can attract insects, fungus and disease.
ANSWER: Soaker hoses are made of a material that oozes or seeps water slowly. They apply water economically, are easy to use, and can be left in place or easily moved. Soaker hoses are much more effective than hand watering.
Sprinklers are usually the best choice for turf areas. Drip irrigation has been increasing in popularity during the past few years and is especially suitable for watering individual plants such as shrubs and trees and can also work well for ornamental or vegetable gardens.
Focus the water at the soil level and keep applying it until the plant's entire root ball is thoroughly soaked. Remember that the roots are probably just as wide as the plant and may be a foot or two deep. The best moisture meter is at the end of your hand.
4) Swap hoses for a watering can – an hour's use is equivalent to the average supply for a family of four for two days under normal circumstances. Using a can slows the flow when watering containers, meaning more water stays in the pot rather than running out the bottom.
The downside of bottom watering plants
In terms of plant health, there aren't a lot of drawbacks to watering plants from the bottom. However, one consideration would be that continual bottom watering could lead to a build up of minerals and excess salts in the growing medium, especially if you're using tap water.
Provide Slow, Deep Watering
If you are unsure how long to water new plants, aim for 30-60 seconds for small plants – longer for larger plants while moving the hose to a few locations around the plant. Avoid watering when the soil feels moist. The earth must be allowed to dry out between watering.
Answer: Rainwater tends to be way more pure than tap water, city or well. Rain contains few salts, minerals, treatment chemicals or pharmaceuticals often found in municipal tap water. Though relatively pure, rainwater can contain particulates from the atmosphere, such as dust or pollen.
A low-cost irrigation system can be as simple as a series of troughs or gutters moving water by gravity, or it can involve a pump and pipelines to move water to sprinklers or a drip system. Give you the ability to provide water and soluble fertilizer when your crops need it.
Surface or flood irrigation is the least efficient manner of irrigation. When a field is flooded, more water than is needed by the plant is applied to the field and water evaporates, seeps into the ground and percolates down to the groundwater, where it can be out of reach of the plant's roots.
Flood irrigation is not the most efficient irrigation method, but it is cheap and low-tech. On the one hand, less water is lost to evaporation than in spray irrigation, but on the other hand, more water can be lost from runoff at the edges of the fields.
Soaker Hose Disadvantages
A soaker hose may degrade over a shorter period of time (4 years). The unregulated water release of a soaker hose is not as efficient (roughly 4lph per metre).
Here are a few accepted guidelines for soaker hose gallons per minute. A 5/8” soaker hose requires about 200 minutes to deliver one inch of water to a garden.
DON'T water too frequently—or not frequently enough.
Instead, opt for a less frequent watering routine that thoroughly saturates the soil. This method encourages the plants' roots to reach deeply for residual water, even when the surface of the soil appears dry.