Even if you have perfectly organized your garden, fertilized every tree and bush, this is still not enough. Only proper watering of the garden can ensure good harvest. The same goes for growing vegetables, which is why it is so important to know how to water your garden properly.

Different vegetables grown in open ground require different amounts of water; this is useful to take into account when planning plantings. It is best to plant groups of plants with similar moisture needs nearby.

To the question “how to water the garden correctly?” the answer is simple: at a certain time and in a certain quantity. Watering should be done in the morning or evening, but not during the day (unless there is no sun), otherwise droplets of water will act as lenses, which can lead to burns, and the moisture itself will quickly evaporate, bringing no benefit to the plants . Most often, watering is done in the evening, when the heat of the day has already subsided, but this time is not suitable for all vegetables. It is better to water tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplants in the morning, before 10 o'clock; evening watering can contribute to the appearance of powdery mildew.

During different periods of growth, plants' moisture needs change, so immediately after planting vegetable seedlings, they are watered frequently, maybe even daily. And in subsequent weeks - much less frequently, but more abundantly.

The amount of water directly depends on how deep it should penetrate into the ground: the roots of most vegetables are located at a depth of 10-15 cm, grass on the lawn - up to 10 cm, garden trees - 1.5 -2 m.
It is best to water with rainwater, so summer residents install containers to collect it. Tap or well water is left to stand in the open air before watering; this is also good because the water should be no colder than the ground, otherwise it is poorly absorbed by the roots and provides stress instead of calm nutrition. The stream of water should not be directed directly at the roots to avoid damaging them.

It is worth watering when the soil has already dried out after the previous watering; this can be checked by inserting a metal rod to the required depth: wet soil will stick to it. Often, after moistening, the soil becomes covered with a dense crust, this makes it difficult for further absorption of water by the soil and the penetration of air into it, so the soil around the plants is loosened. Good result mulching gives - if you cover the ground near the roots with straw, a crust does not form, water evaporation slows down, greens and fruits remain clean (strawberries, strawberries especially).

How to manually water

Known different ways moistening the garden and vegetable garden. Watering into holes is used for trees and shrubs. A hole or groove is dug around the trunk at a sufficient distance, water is poured into it, and the top is covered with dry soil. This way you can introduce a lot of water into the root area, usually this is done in the fall before entering the dormant phase, which provides the garden with a good winter.

Irrigation in furrows is used if the site is located on a slope, and water can simply flow along the surface of the earth without completing its task. Knowing the angle of inclination and the plants’ water needs, it is possible to calculate the required amount together with the depth of the furrows. In this case, too much water is usually consumed and the site area is used uneconomically.

Summer residents who do not have the opportunity to frequently visit their garden use wick watering. It's done like this: large capacity it is filled with water, a piece of fabric is inserted into it through a small hole (preferably one that will not rot quickly), this piece is dug into the ground near a small bed of vegetables. Through this wick, water flows into the soil slowly but constantly. Of course, there should be a lot of such barrels with wicks throughout the garden. The only bad thing is that it is impossible to check the degree of soil moisture.

How larger plot, the harder it is to water it, pumps can be of great help. It is necessary to choose the right pump depending on what source of water is available on the site, then it will be possible to saturate large areas of plantings with water in a short time.

Video “Experimental system “Wick””

With the help of this system, the root system is easily fed. There is minimal water consumption, since all of it goes only for the seedling.

Automatic systems

Life is made easier for a summer resident automatic systems watering, they save a lot of time and effort for other gardening work. You can calculate in advance, adjust the amount of water consumed, the intensity and intervals between watering, and program the system for fairly long periods and not return to this issue again. The automation will not forget about the session, will not cancel it due to fatigue, will not confuse the amount of liquid - in general, you can rely on it.

Of course, automatic watering systems are not cheap, you still need to make some effort to adapt the right system to the needs of your garden and climate conditions. Typically, such a system includes several elements: a control unit, a pump, a set of hoses, filters, nozzles, and sprinklers.

Drip irrigation

Most often, gardeners use drip irrigation, it is considered in the best possible way irrigation. This method is convenient to use even on slopes, as on flat areas. Its essence is that water is supplied through hoses under pressure, sprinklers (sprinklers) are installed in certain areas, the water is dispersed in small splashes, saturating the soil and air.

You can do without sprinklers by making small holes along the entire length of the hose, through which water will also be supplied in small portions to the plants. The pressure is adjusted so that it sprays without bursting the hose. The hose can lie on the ground, but then it will always be dirty, and water can flow along the surface of the soil, leading to erosion. To avoid such disadvantages, the hose is suspended and installed on small tripods.

This method has undeniable advantages - economical consumption of water, targeted delivery to Right place, uniform moistening of the soil near the roots, moderate air humidification, which is very important in the heat.

There are many ways to hydrate garden crops grown in open ground, this does not mean that you need to choose one; it is quite convenient to combine several, the main thing is that it meets the needs of the plants.

Video “Do drip irrigation yourself”

Proper watering of plants requires compliance with certain rules. The article gives advice on watering a wide range. Many summer residents and gardeners do not know the rules for watering plants. Moreover, some will be surprised to learn that such rules exist. It seems that everything is very simple: take water and water the plant. But watering has its own rules.

"Country Hobbies"
rules for watering plants

Rules for watering plants

Available general rules who say that plants on light soils (sand, sandy loam) need to be watered frequently, and on heavy soils - rarely, but abundantly.

The main thing is not to overdo it!

Do not water the plant until puddles appear.

It’s better to go back and water the bed 2-3 times.

Otherwise, an “asphalt” effect will appear - the soil will be hard.

The watering can should be kept as close to the plant as possible. Then the soil will be loose, and water will flow to each root.

Method of sealing moisture when watering plants

Another problem: if there is a lot of water in the soil, then the roots of the plant cannot breathe normally. Moisture from the soil is lifted to the surface by thin capillaries, where it immediately evaporates, leaving behind a dry film.

This film prevents water from reaching the surface, thereby clogging the soil with water. To prevent this, you need to carefully loosen the top layer of soil with a rake, hoe or garden fork.

In this way, you can block the water from evaporating. This method is called moisture sealing. It is advisable to then sprinkle the bed with humus or peat chips. Under such a protective layer, the soil will remain damp for a long time.

When to water plants and water temperature

It is advisable to water any plant in the evening, since in the dark the water evaporates less and is absorbed more. In addition, you can collect water in the morning and leave it to bask in the sun until the evening.

Especially important point– water the beds with warm water. From cold water, for example, onion feathers may turn yellow, and cucumber leaves may die.

Watering plants in hot weather is strictly prohibited - such watering will cause enough harm. The water immediately evaporates, a film forms on the surface of the soil, which compresses the stems at the base of the plant, which is destructive for it.

Individual characteristics of watering some vegetable plants

Each vegetable, in addition to the general rules, has individual requirements.

At proper watering of plants they will bring you a rich harvest. Follow the watering rules, because they are not at all complicated, you just need to know them and follow them.

Well, for watering you will need, how to choose it, read the article. To be rich in water, choose the right place for it.

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You cannot grow a good harvest without water. This statement certainly does not cause doubts in anyone. Most gardeners know that they need to water in the evening or in the morning and only warm water. However, we do not always have the time, strength and opportunity to comply with such regulations. Therefore, we water when we are free, and with such water as we have. We don’t think about whether this benefits our plants.

In today’s article we’ll talk about how to properly “water” garden crops and how to determine soil moisture, we’ll figure out the watering standards for various plants and with the main methods of irrigation.

Different garden crops, depending on the climatic conditions of their historical homeland and due to biological characteristics, require different water regimes. If fruit trees It is enough to water 4-6 times throughout the entire season, then cabbage in dry soil will simply die. Watering is not just moistening the soil with a hose and watering can, or in some other way. In order for water to benefit the plant, you need to know the basic rules of irrigation, because what is good for one can simply ruin others.

10 basic rules for watering your garden

Any water is suitable for irrigation - river, lake or pond; you can use water from a well or well, and even from a water supply system. There are two here mandatory conditions: the water must be warm (temperature no lower than 18-20 degrees) and not contain chlorine impurities. This can be achieved by simply settling in any available containers, preferably black, which ensures rapid heating and oxygen saturation.

Many crops do not like watering their leaves, which leads either to sunburn or to the spread of various dangerous fungal diseases (late blight, powdery mildew), which we described in detail in the article “Diseases and pests of cucumber”. Such plants need to be watered at the root.

If the soil is very dry, first sprinkle it with a little water, and after the first moisture is absorbed, water it abundantly so that the water reaches the roots, but there should be no puddles left on the surface of the ground.

In hot weather, so that the water has time to be absorbed before it evaporates under the influence of the summer sun and wind, it is necessary to water early in the morning or in the evenings. In addition, during the day, drops of moisture on the leaves create a lens effect, which leads to burns. And for a person, working in the midday heat is not pleasant.

But when it gets colder, it is better to “water” the plants during the day, since after evening watering the water does not have time to be completely absorbed into the soil, high air humidity is created, leading to the activation of many dangerous diseases.

It is better to water less often, but more abundantly. With weak moisture, only the surface of the earth is wetted, and the moisture does not reach the roots. Such surface watering will only benefit weeds, but cultivated plants With a lack of water, they do not absorb nutrients well and are stunted in growth. Therefore, short-term rain is not a reason to postpone watering.

Everything is good in moderation. It should be noted that plants often die not from underwatering, but from overwatering. Overwatering is no less harmful than drought. Excessive watering contributes to erosion of the soil, and as a result, an increase in its acidity. In waterlogged soil, roots rot, oxygen supply deteriorates and nutrients, ideal conditions are created for the emergence of dangerous diseases.

Irrigation rates depend on the degree of development of garden crops. Thus, seeds and seedlings need surface moisture, and adult plants require deep moisture, and the more massive the roots, the more the crop “drinks.”

To maintain moisture in the soil for a long time, the beds must be mulched with any materials at hand (humus, compost, hay, straw, and others). This will not only retain moisture during the hot season, but will also help restore fertility and improve the structure of the soil.

When watering, you need to consider what type of soil predominates in your area. Heavy clay and su clay soils They are saturated with moisture slowly, but also retain it for a long time. Therefore, such land needs to be watered rarely, but abundantly. But sandy soils, on the contrary, require frequent, but not so abundant irrigation. We will talk to you in more detail about soil types and their main characteristics in the next article.

How to determine soil moisture

A deficiency, as well as an excess of moisture, negatively affects the growth and development of garden crops, inhibits the formation of flowers and ovaries, and reduces the quantity and quality of the harvest. In order to understand whether you need to water your garden, you need to learn how to determine soil moisture. There are many scientific ways to determine it, but for common man they are practically unusable due to their complexity. Let's look at a simple method available to any amateur gardener.

To determine moisture content, we immerse the shovel in the ground fully and take soil samples from a depth of 20 cm (either from the tip of the shovel or from the bottom of the resulting hole). If the soil has a powdery appearance, crumbles in your hands and does not roll into a lump, this means that it is dry and needs to be watered urgently and abundantly.

If the soil rolls into a lump, which crumbles when dropped from chest height onto a shovel, then the degree of humidity is determined to be moderate; water if necessary.

When the earth rolls into a lump, and it does not break when falling, the earth does not stick to the fingers, then the soil moisture is considered good and it is recommended to water only in dry weather.

If the soil rolls into a ball when pressed and sticks to your fingers, then the soil moisture is excellent and you don’t have to irrigate the area for a week.

The soil is considered too wet when water is squeezed out of the lump when it is compressed. Such land is not watered for two weeks or more.

In order not to harm plants, it is necessary not only to learn how to determine humidity, but also to study biological features each crop, on which watering rates will depend at certain moments of growth and development.

Irrigation rates for main garden crops

Of all the crops that we grow on our plots, cabbage is the most moisture-loving, and this applies to all its varieties. This vegetable, unlike others, prefers cool water. You need to water cabbage often: early varieties - once every 3-4 days, late varieties - once a week. During irrigation cabbage beds the soil should be wet to a depth of 40 cm, since cabbage has a powerful root system that penetrates deeply into the ground. It is best to “water” this crop by combining surface irrigation along furrows with sprinkling, which will help not only increase soil moisture, but also increase air humidity, this is especially important in hot, dry weather. Cabbage easily tolerates watering directly over the leaves. Lack of moisture leads to stunted growth and cracking of heads of cabbage during their formation. However, high humidity is also extremely undesirable; it can give impetus to the activation of the fungus that causes white rot, which we talked about in more detail in one of the articles in the series about organic farming, “How to grow a bountiful harvest of healthy cabbage without chemicals.”

Cucumber is also quite demanding on soil and air moisture, especially during the formation of ovaries and fruits. If at the initial stages of development this crop can tolerate some drought, then at the time of fruiting, with a lack of water, the cucumber drops its flowers, or the fruits turn out to be ugly and bitter in taste. Cucumbers must be watered with warm water (temperature no lower than 22 degrees) in the evening or early in the morning, but in such a way that the leaves have time to dry by night. The irrigation rate is 20-30 liters of water per 1 sq. m garden, the frequency depends on weather conditions and the condition of the soil - here it is important not to let the soil dry out completely, but you also should not flood the beds. In hot, dry weather, it is recommended to carry out refreshing watering during the day at the rate of 5-10 liters per 1 square meter. m beds. It is important to note that it is not recommended to water cucumbers by sprinkling; this can cause burns on the leaves and lead to the development of fungal diseases.

People say about tomatoes that they like dry heads but wet feet. This crop is watered only at the roots; sprinkling the beds, especially in the evening, often leads to the activation of late blight. At different periods of development, tomatoes' moisture requirements vary. So, immediately after planting seedlings, for better survival, it is necessary to maintain high soil moisture. Further, until the moment of fruiting, watering must be reduced, since waterlogged soil promotes excessive growth of green mass, which reduces the plant’s immunity, and early varieties this can lead to delays in fruit ripening. It is necessary to increase watering during the period of ovary formation - a lack of water at this time can lead to a significant reduction in yield due to shedding of flowers. But at the time of ripening, increased soil moisture can lead to cracking and rotting of the fruit. Typically, tomatoes are watered once every 7-10 days at the rate of 20-30 liters of water per 1 square meter. m. In dry weather, it is necessary to “water” the plants twice a week, while the norm is reduced by 1/3.

Pepper has a shallow, but quite horizontally branched root system, therefore it places quite high demands on the moisture content of the surface layer of the earth. At insufficient watering plants are stunted in growth, can shed flowers and ovaries, and form ugly, defective fruits. Lack of water leads to the development of a pepper disease called blossom end rot, which was discussed in more detail in the article “How to protect pepper from pests and diseases.” After planting seedlings, peppers are watered more often, but with less water, and during the fruiting period - less often, but more abundantly. The average irrigation rate for this crop is from 15 to 30 liters per 1 square meter. m, depending on weather conditions. Pepper is a heat-loving plant, so during cold spells it is better not to irrigate the beds, since wet soil significantly reduces the ambient temperature, which negatively affects the condition of the plants.

Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants love water, but they use it sparingly and can easily wait until you arrive at the site next weekend, of course, provided that there is no “stupefying” heat. Carrots, beets, zucchini, beans, and potatoes need to be watered even less often. These vegetables do not tolerate waterlogging well.

The most drought-resistant crops include watermelon, pumpkin and melon; they are watered rarely, but with plenty of water. Therefore, if there is a good rainfall at least once every three to four weeks, there is no need to water the beds with these melons at all.

Basic watering methods

As we have already found out, watering plants must be treated thoughtfully, taking into account the biological characteristics of each individual crop. In this regard, it is necessary to select the type of irrigation that will be most suitable. Today, there are three main methods of watering gardens that we use in our personal plots. These are surface watering, sprinkling and drip irrigation systems.

Surface watering is the simplest and most common way to increase soil moisture. The hose is placed on those beds where irrigation is needed and connected to a water source. Water in in this case falls directly into holes or furrows, penetrating directly to the root system. It should be noted that you cannot put the hose directly on the water tap - the water will be cold and chlorinated, which will only harm the plants. In this case, it is necessary to settle the water in containers and supply it to the garden using a pump. This method is ideal for watering fruit trees and shrubs; it can also be used to irrigate beds with crops that cannot be irrigated by sprinkling (tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, etc.). Surface watering is suitable for those who have small areas allocated for planting vegetables. area, since the method is very labor intensive. Another important disadvantage is the increased water consumption and the danger of erosion of the top layer of soil with subsequent acidification.

Sprinkling today is considered the most effective way to increase the humidity of not only the soil, but also the air. This method is closest to natural precipitation. Its essence lies in the fact that special devices connected to a water source using a hose system spray water above the surface of the earth. Considering the possibility of almost complete automation, sprinkling differs from surface irrigation in that it is minimally labor intensive. Sprinkler irrigation does not destroy the soil structure, humidifies the air, reduces the temperature around the plants, washes away dust and small pests. This method of irrigation can be used during planting of seedlings to improve their survival rate; sprinkling is ideal for watering lawns and flower beds. Sprinkling can be used to protect plants from frost. However, this watering method will not be ideal for every vegetable; it is not suitable for potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and other crops that do not like watering over the surface of the leaves. For such plants, either surface watering is used or drip irrigation systems are installed.

Drip irrigation today is the most progressive method of irrigation, given the acute shortage of fresh water throughout the planet. When using surface irrigation or sprinkling, a large amount of moisture is lost under the influence of wind and high temperatures air or is simply poured into the ground in vain. Drip irrigation allows you to use water as economically as possible, supplying it slowly and directly under each bush. When watering with a hose, one liter of water is consumed in 5 seconds, and with drip irrigation - in 15 minutes. This comparison says it all. Systems drip irrigation They deliver exactly as much water to each plant as it needs, without watering the weeds. When using drip irrigation, the surface layer of the soil is not washed away and its structure is not destroyed.

The essence of the drip system is as follows: a plastic tube is laid along the rows, and through droppers built into it, water is supplied to each individual plant, if the pressure is low, then in drops, if high, then in a microstream. Today there are many different drip systems, manufactured by different companies and differing in the quality of the material, permissible pressure, and, accordingly, in price. We will talk to you in more detail about the various designs presented on the market for gardening products today in the next article.

Watering - benefit or harm

There is no doubt that plants absolutely need moisture. In dry soil, the growth and formation of ovaries and fruits slows down, which negatively affects the quantity and quality of the harvest. However, from the point of view common sense and given the careful attitude towards our plants, watering is certainly harmful.

Occasional irrigation, and even in some cases with inappropriate cold chlorinated water, means a sharp change in the temperature and humidity of the soil, its chemical composition. For garden crops, such watering represents severe stress, which negatively affects their well-being. That is why it is forbidden to water in the heat. In addition, when water drops fall on the leaves, they disrupt the natural evaporation process, which causes severe burns.

Excessive watering, as already noted, disrupts the structure of the soil, leaches useful nutrients from it, and negatively affects the vital activity of beneficial soil inhabitants. High humidity air is a trigger for the development of many dangerous fungal diseases.

What to do? - you ask. After all, plants cannot survive without water. It is the only way to transport nutrients from the roots to the ground part, and the evaporation of moisture by the leaves protects the crops from overheating. The answer suggests itself - moisture in the soil and air must be preserved. And for this there is only one way - mulching. Treat your land and plants with love and understanding, mulch the soil - this will help maintain its moisture, do not create drafts in greenhouses and other closed ground structures. Then watering - this inevitable and undeniable evil - can be reduced to a minimum.

Without watering your garden and vegetable garden, fruit trees and other crops will not produce the harvest you expected, and in dry seasons they will even die. There are several ways to water a garden, and before you resort to one of them or use the whole complex, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules of watering.

Norms for watering plants in the garden and vegetable garden

Watering the garden in summer, spring and autumn is a difficult but necessary task. Therefore, irrigation installations must be simple to manufacture, reliable and safe to maintain.

Small industrially produced sprinkler nozzles greatly facilitate the work of watering. The nozzle is inserted into a hose, which is secured vertically with wire or a clamp on a pole stuck into the ground. When fed into the hose, water sprays, moistening the soil. Having finished watering one area, the hose and pole are moved to another place, and the process is repeated.

You can run a pipeline with vertical pipes, attaching a nozzle to each, and, opening the valve, water the entire area at once. Pipe irrigation is often used. In this case, pipes with holes are laid in the garden. Water supplied under pressure through holes enters furrows dug to a depth of 20–30 cm near the plants at a distance of 0.5–1 m from their trunks (depending on age).

According to water needs fruit crops can be arranged as follows (from more demanding to less demanding): quince, apple, pear, plum, Walnut, sweet cherry, cherry, peach, apricot.

Watering of orchards is carried out taking into account the phases of the growing season fruit plants. Before flowering begins, there is usually enough moisture accumulated in the soil during the winter.

During the flowering period, gardens are watered if the soil is dry and flowering is abundant.

In June–July, the garden usually requires watering if the rainfall is insufficient. Water during this period is required for the growth of shoots, fruits and the formation of fruit buds.

During the summer, it is recommended to water fruit-bearing gardens in case of insufficient rainfall five to six times in the southern regions and 3–4 times in the north, and young plantings – 3–4 times more often. With a high yield and a sufficient amount of fertilizer, the number of waterings should be increased.

Garden watering rates depend on the age of the plants, soil composition, crop size, etc. It is believed that for a garden area of ​​5 acres (0.05 hectares) an average of 15–30 m3 of water is required per irrigation. 1–2 days after each watering it is necessary to loosen the soil. If the soil is mulched, the number of waterings can be halved.

The amount of water available to plants depends on many factors. Including the type and depth of the soil, the depth of the root system, the rate of water loss through evaporation, the temperature and the rate of moisture entering the soil.

The rate of water extraction from the soil is a function of root concentration. The deeper the root system, the lower the speed. More than 40% of the water is extracted from the upper root layer.

The water entering the soil moves at the same speed as the field moisture capacity is created. The movement of water in the soil from bottom to top is carried out by capillary forces. Loss of water through evaporation affects only the top layers of soil. During periods of prolonged drought, it is easy to recognize plants with a shallow root system.

Correct watering time is especially important for development vegetable crops and obtaining maximum yield. In addition, watering standards must be observed. For example, for water to penetrate to the root system, it is not enough to simply wet the soil surface. According to the observations of experts, a 3-centimeter layer of water penetrates the soil to a depth of 25 cm. To wet an area of ​​0.5 hectares to such a depth, 130,000 liters of water should be spent. During prolonged drought, frequent minor watering does not benefit the plants, since the water does not reach the main volume of the root system, and a hard crust appears on the ground. At the same time, plants form superficial lateral roots, which also suffer during prolonged dry weather.

Sandy soils dry out much faster than clay soils and require more frequent watering. To find out how things are with soil moisture in the area, you need to dig a hole 20-30 cm deep with a scoop. If the soil at such a depth is slightly wet or dry, you should water it immediately.

Vegetable crops require the most moisture during intensive growth, that is, from late spring to mid-summer, when plant development is determined precisely by the water supply. In late summer, excess moisture can harm some crops. For example, melons and watermelons are not watered during the ripening period. Tomatoes can also crack from excess moisture before they have time to turn red. But still, for most plants, watering rates are determined at the rate of 10-15 l/m2 per week. Watering norms for ornamental crops are close to those for vegetables.

The main amount of water is absorbed by plants in spring and summer. Particular attention should be paid to watering when planting trees and shrubs so that the soil fits tightly around their roots. Plants in open ground in summer are susceptible to natural drying under the influence of sunlight, although they receive enough moisture from winter precipitation. It is interesting that a layer of rainwater of 1 mm gives 10 m3 per 1 hectare, that is, 10 tons. Snow cover 40 cm thick - 1000 tons of water per 1 hectare, or 100 liters per 1 m2. It is necessary to ensure that the soil near walls, fences and under trees receives full moisture, since there are certain difficulties when watering in these places. Plants in pots and tubs dry out quickly and require regular watering in summer.

How to properly water fruit trees and video of watering a garden

Lack of water adversely affects the growth, fruiting and winter hardiness of fruit trees. But excess moisture is even more destructive for them. In waterlogged soil, gas exchange decreases, vital microbiological processes slow down, and the temperature in the habitat of the root system decreases, which can lead to the death of some roots. Frequent watering, when only the surface layer of soil is moistened, is also harmful for fruit trees. This only causes harm because it interferes with free air exchange. Watering fruit trees should be done to a depth of 60-80 cm. To determine the water supply of the soil, you need to dig a hole with a scoop to a depth of 40-50 cm, take a handful of soil and squeeze it tightly. If it retains its shape, then the humidity is normal, and if the soil crumbles in the palm of your hand, watering is required. True, for sandy soil this method is less indicative.

Before properly watering fruit trees, you need to determine when to do it. Under one of the trees, when planting, at a depth of 1–1.5 m, a plastic vessel is buried, half filled with gravel, and then with soil from the surface of the site. The vessel is connected using a hose to another one buried nearby at the same level. A bottle with a capacity of 20 liters is stuck into the ground above it, neck down. Two tubes are passed through the stopper of the bottle: atmospheric air enters one, and the other is lowered into a second plastic vessel.

As the tree consumes moisture, its amount in the first vessel will begin to decrease, and water from the bottle will flow into the second vessel. To know exactly when to start watering, a critical level mark is made on the wall of the bottle. The soil layer in the garden must be moistened to the depth of the vital activity of the root system, for which 600–1000 m3 of water should be consumed per 1 hectare with one-time watering. If we talk about watering each tree, then for a 3-5 year old specimen, one-time watering should be 5-8 buckets, for a 7-10 year old tree - 12-15 buckets, and older trees are watered even more abundantly. For example, with a crown diameter of 3 m, an apple tree requires 20 buckets of water during the first spring watering and 30-35 buckets during the second.

How to water the garden taking into account the composition of the soil? With light sandy soils, more frequent watering is required, but with a lower rate of water consumption; with heavy clay soils - rare, but abundant.

Here you can watch a video of watering a garden using the most common method:

Proper watering of vegetable crops

If there is a lack of moisture in the soil, the growth of cultivated crops stops, and water evaporates through the leaves and from the surface of the soil around the plants.

On a hot day, moisture evaporation can reach 5 l/m2. But this does not mean that vegetable crops need to be watered every day; excessive moisture, as already mentioned, can also inhibit growth.

For seed germination and normal development Seedlings require a lot of water, but exactly how much depends not only on weather conditions, but also on the type of crop. Leafy vegetables whose leaves or shoots are eaten (colored and White cabbage), respond well to frequent regular watering, starting from the germination phase. The optimal weekly norm during dry periods during the growing season is 10-15 l/m2.

In crops such as peas and beans, excessive soil moisture at the beginning of the growing season can cause increased leaf growth to the detriment of fruit development. In this case, during the germination phase there is no need for artificial irrigation (except for the period of drought), but during flowering and the beginning of fruit formation, watering is required 1–2 times a week at a water consumption of 5–10 l/m2.

According to the rules for watering plants in the garden, it is best to irrigate vegetable crops in the evening or morning hours. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is moistened to a greater depth.

When watering vegetable crops, splashing water over the surface often leads to excessive evaporation, and the moisture does not even have time to reach the root system of the plants.

At the same time, evening watering can lead to the development of some diseases of vegetable crops, since the soil may not dry out until the morning.

To avoid the need for constant watering, moisture-retaining measures should be taken.

On those soils that poorly retain water, deep digging is recommended, which helps to increase the thickness of the root layer and, as a result, the water reserves available to plants. The most effective way to preserve moisture is to add manure, compost, peat, and humus to the soil. All organic matter should be thoroughly mixed into the soil.

In order to save moisture, it is important to destroy weeds in time, at the very beginning of their growth. The row spacing and distance between plants in a row are also important in determining the watering rate. Establish experimentally optimal areas nutrition of various vegetable plants.

To reduce water loss from the soil surface, mulching crops with compost or rotted leaves is very effective. Mulching material must be spread after rain or watering.

To avoid compaction of the top layer of soil, it must be thoroughly loosened before mulching. In addition, mulch also prevents the growth of weeds. And if they do appear, it is easier to pull them out of the loose substrate.

A certain amount of water is required for seed germination, so the soil must be moist when sowing. It is usually watered 1-2 days in advance. In this case, a favorable water-air regime is formed in the soil for the emergence of seedlings. You can water the furrows just before sowing, spending 0.6–0.8 liters per linear meter.

After planting the seedlings on permanent place it needs to be watered. Before rooting, water consumption per plant should be 0.1 liters per day, provided the soil is thoroughly mulched.

For proper watering of vegetable crops, it is best to moisten not the entire bed, but only the root zone. In large areas, such watering is uneconomical; in this case, it is recommended to use sprinklers and moisten the soil daily, although this can result in excessive water consumption.

Types of watering plants in the garden

There are 4 main types of plant watering: surface, sprinkling, subsurface and trickle. With surface irrigation, water is distributed over the surface of the soil.

When sprinkling under pressure, water is sprayed in the form of rain. With subsoil irrigation, it enters the root system of the plant, passing over the impermeable soil layer. With trickle irrigation, water rises under pressure through thin pipes to individual plants.

The simplest type of watering a garden is with a watering can. This garden tool is available for sale in several types of different volumes, but on the site it is more advisable to use a 10-liter watering can. Larger capacity watering cans are difficult to use, while smaller ones require frequent refilling.

The watering can should have a comfortable handle and a long spout. Most watering cans are equipped with nozzles with fine holes or a mesh, which are used when watering seeds and seedlings. They start from one side, carry the watering can over the seedlings, trying to maintain a constant water pressure.

All gardeners know this method of moistening the soil on a site, such as watering from a hose, which is connected to a water tap or a drain valve from a container. When using a hose, you must ensure that the stream of water does not erode the soil or expose plant roots.

How to properly water plants in the garden using a hose? When watering vegetable crops, it is necessary to direct the hose between the rows to ensure rapid flow of water to the root system of the plants. The hose should not twist at the bends, then it will remain elastic for several years. Hoses with nylon braid are considered the most durable.

Many people use hoses for watering, equipped with holes made at different angles.

Such perforated hoses are laid across the irrigated area and are constantly moved from place to place to uniformly moisten the soil.

A sprinkler can be connected to the hose. An oscillating type sprinkler consists of a perforated tube that swings from side to side and distributes water over a rectangular or square bed. A rotary sprinkler sprays water through one or more nozzles that move in a circular motion under the pressure of water. Sprinklers of both types are installed in parks, on lawns and in country and household plots. In this case, the uniformity of watering is determined by the amount of water entering empty jars placed around the perimeter or circumference of the site.

To gradually distribute water to flower beds, greenhouses and potted plants, long tubes with small holes for drip irrigation are used.

The listed methods relate mainly to watering vegetable and ornamental crops.

Methods of watering plants in the garden

There are some peculiarities in the technique of watering a fruit-bearing garden. If the garden is large, the trees are watered along the furrows between the rows.

In this case, the distance between furrows on light soils should be 70-80 cm, on heavy (clayey) soils - up to 1.5 m. The depth of the furrows is 20-25 cm, width - 0.5 m.

But in gardens on dacha and personal plots, as a rule, watering trees is traditionally carried out in tree trunk circles, or rather, in ditches dug around their circumference. After watering, the circular ditches are covered with earth. You cannot water trees in the depressions of the trunk circle, dug in the form of a funnel. In this case, the water does not reach the end roots of the tree, and watering closer to the trunk has no practical benefit.

To water the garden, it is very effective to use subsoil irrigation. For example, on every square meter area of ​​the near-trunk circle, using a soil drill, drill a hole with a diameter of 10-12 cm and a depth of 50-60 cm, which is filled with crushed stone, broken brick or coarse sand.

Trees are watered through such wells, and liquid fertilizers are also applied through them. In this case, a crust does not form on the surface, and all nutrients and precious moisture penetrate immediately into the deep layers of the soil. Such holes can perform their functions for quite a long time.

A simpler method of watering plants is to drill wells for irrigation using a crowbar and then cover them with soil.

Gardeners often water trees with a hose, throwing it into the tree trunk circle while doing other things. After some time, the hose is moved to the trunk circle of another tree, completely disregarding the amount of water that reaches the roots of the first tree. And determining the norm is not at all difficult. You just need to know how many buckets are needed to water a particular tree and the time it takes to fill one bucket from a hose. Then it will be possible to judge the amount of water entering the tree trunk circle.

Watering times for the garden also have their own characteristics. The most optimal for fruit trees in the central regions of Russia are the following:

• in the spring before buds bloom on the trees, when rapid growth begins and there is not enough water in the soil;
• 15-20 days after the end of flowering of the trees, since at this time the ovaries of fruits begin to grow, which fall off when there is insufficient moisture;
• 15-20 days before harvesting the fruits, but not when they are ripe;
• late autumn, in October, during leaf fall (this pre-winter watering is called moisture recharging).

Garden and vegetable garden irrigation systems

When choosing a source of domestic drinking water supply for a country house or estate, one should take into account local conditions that determine the choice of one or another water intake system. In this case, it is necessary to calculate water consumption rates, which depend not only on the level of improvement of the house, but also on the presence of a vegetable garden, orchard, or farmstead. It is necessary to take into account the significant consumption of water for household needs.

Very often, water is supplied to the centralized water supply system according to a specific schedule. Therefore, it is recommended to have a guaranteed supply of it on site. In most cases, when organizing a garden watering system, preference is given to underground sources.

For irrigation water supply, a special water supply system is sometimes installed, with water supplied through ground pipes or special watercourses.

It is good to water the garden and vegetable garden with rainwater, which should be collected and stored in open tanks installed in places where it drains from the roofs.

In places with shallow groundwater, shallow-pipe wells are installed for one or several areas adjacent to each other.

Refreshing watering in summer

In order for fruit and berry crops to receive moisture on time and with high quality, the gardener needs to know and apply several types of irrigation. Each of these species is suitable for a specific time of year and plays a special role in the development of the plant and its protection from adverse conditions.

Summer watering(watering in summer period, seasonal watering) is also called regular, or growing season, regular watering. It is carried out not only in summer months, but during the entire active growing season (from the end of spring frosts to the beginning of the first autumn frosts). Trees and shrubs begin to need watering immediately after the onset of warm weather. sunny days, when their buds and flowers bloom, the shoots come to life. But if the snow cover is sufficiently thick in the first days of the warm period, watering is sometimes not necessary: plants feed on moisture from melting snow.

Refreshing watering, or sprinkling, is carried out in hot weather. This type of watering is not acceptable for all crops. Sprinkling should not be carried out during particularly hot hours. This type of watering increases air humidity and slightly reduces its temperature. Sprinkling is a finely dispersed watering, so you need to use a sprayer, a sprayer or a special nozzle on a hose; you cannot simply water the plants from above with streams of water.

Fertilizer irrigation is a special-purpose irrigation, a method of adding liquid fertilizers to the soil. But at the same time as receiving nutrients With such watering, a tree or shrub receives the moisture it needs.

Moisture-recharging autumn watering of trees in the garden

Moisture-recharging (sub-winter) irrigation is used in the fall. It is necessary to create a supply of moisture in the soil. In autumn, after fruiting has ended, trees and shrubs begin to actively develop their absorbent roots and accumulate nutrients in their tissues. Although there may be almost no active suction zone at the roots, all of these processes require constant optimal humidity soil. In summer, the layer of soil in which the roots of plants are located dries out to a large extent, so before preparing for the cold period of the year, this layer needs high-quality moisture. The roots of plants, which begin to experience a moisture deficit during the fruiting period, also need moisture-recharging irrigation. In this case, in the fall, mechanical absorption of moisture begins to predominate (through the pores in the wood of the roots), rather than physiological (with the help of active absorbing roots).

After properly carried out autumn watering of trees, the soil becomes more resistant to cold weather and releases heat more slowly (i.e., its heat capacity increases after watering). The plants themselves, with their buds, tolerate lower temperatures better.

Moisture-recharging irrigation begins in the second half of September and ends in early October. These waterings should not depend on rainfall or absence during the specified period: even heavy rainfalls cannot compensate for the lack of moisture in the root layer of the soil, so this type of watering must be carried out in any weather.

During autumn watering of the garden, the soil is moistened to a sufficiently large depth (more than during summer watering). Each plant has its own recommendations for water-recharging irrigation, including the depth of soil wetting and the depth of the annular groove for irrigation. The fact is that the soil must be moistened to a depth of 90-100 cm, and it is impossible to achieve this with ordinary surface watering, therefore ring grooves are necessary (the only exception can be sandy soils; even on light loams grooves are needed). U different plants The root system is located at different distances from the soil surface, therefore the depth of the grooves, for example, for an apple and cherry tree, will not be the same. Grooves are dug around the trunk at a distance of 60–80 cm from each other.

How to water trees in the garden in accordance with the norms? The irrigation rate is determined in liters for each tree depending on its species and age (fruiting or young). The rate can be reduced if in the main growing season seasonal watering was carried out regularly and abundantly. In this case, first check the condition of the soil by digging into it with a shovel. Unlike summer watering, the soil is soaked not only to the depth of thin roots, but a little deeper (about 10 cm). After watering, the grooves are filled (if necessary) with fertilizer and leveled with a hoe.

Water-recharging watering of trees is carried out by uniformly moistening the soil in the tree trunk circle, pouring water into specially made wells in the tree trunk circle or into a furrow that is dug around the tree trunk circle. The main thing is that the soil is saturated with water to a great depth, to the root zone.

In this case, you should be careful: you must not over-moisten the soil, that is, when sprinkling, water should flow in small quantities and through a very fine mesh of the sprayer. It is also important to know that the most dangerous effect on plants is from night frosts (before 5 a.m.).

Anti-frost watering: how to water plants before frost

Anti-frost watering (watering before frost) is carried out in early spring and in late autumn to protect the vegetative parts of plants from frost. Fruit and berry crops are especially susceptible to damage from frost during the period of flowering and ovary formation: the yield may not only decrease, but also completely die.

Water has a high heat capacity; when temperatures drop, it releases heat, increasing the thermal conductivity of the soil after it is moistened. In spring, light frosts affect plants less if the soil underneath is moderately moist. In autumn, the danger is reduced due to the heat reserve associated with the thermal capacity of water. Water for watering plants before frost at low air temperatures (but not negative - in this case, watering is contraindicated) is often warmer than the soil and air, i.e., it is itself a source of heat. In this case, the leaves can be completely wetted using a sprayer or a spray nozzle on a hose. But this measure is only effective if there is no threat of severe frost. Anti-frost irrigation by sprinkling is carried out at temperatures no colder than -2... -7 °C. The temperature is monitored precisely at the level of the location of the flowers and buds of the plant. At negative temperatures Sprinkling allows the formation of an ice crust on the leaves, under which the temperature does not drop below 0 °C, so that the vegetative parts of the plant do not freeze.

Watering before frost begins about two days before the onset of cold weather. For sprinkling, spray nozzles are used, usually located on devices automatic watering. The fact is that during freezing, sprinkling cannot be interrupted for more than 20–40 minutes, otherwise the air temperature may drop sharply, and the opposite (negative) effect of the procedure will occur. Therefore, sprinkling should be continuous; in extreme cases, it can be carried out intermittently for several minutes.

Methods of watering a garden: surface method and sprinkling system

There are three methods of watering a garden: surface irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and subsurface irrigation.

There are several surface watering methods, for garden plot Not all of them are suitable.

1. Surface irrigation along furrows. It is carried out as follows. In the row-spacings, furrows are made 20-30 cm wide with a slight slope, into which watering hose water is served. After watering is completed, the furrows are sealed after some time.

2. Surface watering in bowls. When using this method, a bowl-shaped hole is dug under the crown of the fruit tree. The size of the bowl, i.e. its diameter, depends on the age of the tree and the density of plantings, but it should not be less than the projection of the crown of the tree itself. Along the edges of the finished hole pour earthen roller 20-25 cm high. The bowls under neighboring trees are connected by a common groove. Water is supplied to this groove from a watering hose, and through the groove the water flows into the holes.

When using sprinkler irrigation, moisture gets not only into the soil, but also into the air. Water entering the soil through the air is enriched with oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen compounds. The difference between a sprinkler irrigation system and a surface irrigation system is that surface irrigation requires careful planning and leveling. land plot. This is due to the fact that water does not move along the surface of the soil during irrigation, thereby washing away its fertile layer.

Before watering the garden by sprinkling, be sure to loosen the soil, and if necessary, apply fertilizer. For such watering you will need special devices - sprinklers. These devices can be fan-shaped, pulsed or gun-shaped. They spray water at different heights and in different directions, and the height, direction and even size of the droplets can be adjusted. The devices are installed under the crowns of bushes and fruit trees and used to water the ground layer.

Water the garden, lawns and flower beds by sprinkling only in the evening, when there is no bright sun. If you do this during the day, the leaves of the plants will get burned, since the water droplets act as collecting lenses and focus the sun's rays.

Methods for irrigating an orchard

There are several ways to irrigate a garden, the most popular of which are half-soil and drip.

Subsoil irrigation. When using this method of irrigation, a system of pottery, asbestos-cement or polyethylene pipes, through the holes of which water under pressure is supplied to the soil. Sometimes with such irrigation orchard Along with water, fertilizers are also supplied to the roots of the plant.

The main disadvantage of this method is its high cost. Laying pipes throughout the entire site is a very labor-intensive task and should be carried out at the stage of garden planning and construction. In addition, the quality of irrigation water often leaves much to be desired, so the pipes do not last long and quickly become clogged and silted.

Drip irrigation. This is a type of subsoil irrigation. This method is very convenient and easy to implement. Drip irrigation is carried out according to the system plastic pipes small diameter. Under one fruit tree or berry bush place 2-3 droppers at a depth of 30-35 cm. The advantage of this type of irrigation is that water consumption is reduced several times, and it is also possible to constantly maintain required humidity soil. In addition, along with the water supply, fertilizers can be applied.

Rules for watering plants in the garden and vegetable garden

Rational watering of plants according to the rules includes several mandatory components.

1. Optimal temperature water for irrigation.

2. Watering method. It is possible to water at the root and along with the leaves, as well as sprinkling (watering through a sprayer from above). Sprinkling can be not only superficial (with wetting of leaves and branches), but also root - in this case, only the soil in the tree trunk circle is wetted, but with the help of sprinkler nozzles, due to which there is no erosion of the soil and leaching of nutrients from it due to the large water pressure. For different plants in different periods These types of irrigation are required in different proportions each year.

3. Watering time. Watering is usually done in the morning or evening. During the hot period of the day, when sprinkling, burns may appear on the leaves, and it is better to water at the root not in the heat of the day.

4. Amount of water. Irrigation norms usually indicate either a unit of area or a single plant. For trees and large shrubs, the latter option is more typical.

5. But there are also general rules for watering, applicable for all fruit- berry crops.

6. Soil moisture should be optimal. Waterlogged soil is a serious problem, as is drying out soil, since it can reduce the plant’s resistance to pests and diseases and impair soil aeration. A lump of optimally moistened soil should be squeezed in your hand without releasing water or crumbling. This indicator is suitable even for sandy soils.

7. The rate at which soil absorbs moisture depends on the mechanical composition of the soil. Heavy loams are saturated with water more slowly, so it is better to moisten the soil not with too much water pressure (for a longer time), but using a larger amount of it. Sandy soils need to be watered more often, since moisture cannot stay in such soils for a long time, and the soil dries out faster. Following this rule for watering the garden, clay soils are watered less frequently so as not to cause waterlogging, because moisture can “stand” in them for quite a long time.

8. Watering woody plants should be rare and plentiful. Frequent watering “little by little” is more harmful than beneficial. Watering is usually carried out to the depth of the active (thin, absorbent) roots of the plant.

9. Average rate one-time watering for trees aged 3–5 years is 50–80 liters per plant or more. The same figure for trees aged 7-10 years is 120–150 liters.

10. Fruit-bearing trees and shrubs need more abundant watering than young plants of the same species.

11. Any watering at the root(not only moisture charging) can be carried out into ring grooves. After watering, fertilizers are poured into the grooves, if necessary, and covered with soil or mulching material.

12. Do not water trees and shrubs into the tree trunk funnel., and even more so pour water on the root neck of the tree. With such watering, moisture will flow in excess to the main (tap) root and in deficiency - to the peripheral (active) roots. But it is the peripheral roots that are absorbent, that is, they absorb the main amount of nutrients and moisture for the plant. Therefore, the main place for watering is a circle, which represents the projection of the crown onto the surface of the earth, as well as the soil near this circle. In general, watering in the tree trunk circle should be uniform, without “dry” places.

13. Unusual, but effective method glaze- using pre-drilled wells under the tree with a diameter of 10–12 cm and the depth required for watering a certain crop. The holes are drilled with a drill and filled with pebbles, crushed stone, broken bricks or coarse sand. One well is installed per m2 of tree trunk area.

14. For regular watering using a hose It is difficult to determine the volume of water that has entered the soil. Before starting such irrigation, you can turn on the water at a certain pressure and calculate how long it will take for water at that pressure to fill a container, for example, with a volume of 10 liters. Then, by simple calculations, it is easy to find out how long it will take to water a particular plant in this way.

15. Seasonal watering is necessary, as a rule, during the following periods of the growing season of trees and shrubs: before spring bud break; 2–3 weeks after flowering ends; 2-3 weeks before harvest. The rest of the time, watering is carried out as needed and for special purposes (moisture recharging, anti-frost, refreshing, fertilizing).

16. Nutrition area of ​​a tree or shrub usually determined approximately by the diameter of the crown (slightly wider than the projection of the crown onto the surface of the earth). This indicator is useful to know for calculating irrigation.

17. If, while watering a young tree or shrub surface roots are exposed, they should be immediately covered with moist soil.

To understand whether a particular plant requires watering, it is necessary to assess the condition of the soil next to it. Its moisture content should not be determined by the top layer, which is most often dry (this is due to the fact that most of the moisture is lost from the soil surface during evaporation). You should pay attention to the active layer of soil where the root system of the plant is located. If we talk about fruit trees, such as apple and pear, then this layer is at a depth of 90-120 cm, for cherries, plums and apricots - at a depth of 80 cm, for berry crops - 50 cm.

To assess soil moisture along the periphery of the plant crown, dig a small hole up to 1 m deep, take a lump of soil from the wall of the hole and squeeze it in your hand. If a lump forms and does not break when dropped from a height of 1.5 m, then the soil moisture is about 70%. If a lump of earth crumbles, this means that the soil needs watering.

The optimal level of soil moisture is considered to be 75-80%. To retain soil moisture as much as possible long time, after watering, it is loosened and peat or rotted sawdust is added to it.

How to properly water trees and other plants in the garden

And a few more tips on how to properly water the garden to ensure abundant flowering and good yield.

First watering Plants need it in the spring, when the buds have not yet opened. During this period, the phase of his active growth, and it really needs moisture.

Second watering should be carried out approximately 15-20 days after the end of the growing season of trees and shrubs, since it is at this time that the ovaries grow, and if the soil is too dry, the newly set fruits may fall off.

Third watering carried out 15-20 days before removing fruits from trees and shrubs.

If the third watering is carried out immediately before harvesting, this can lead to fruit falling and cracking.

And the last watering is carried out in late autumn, when active leaf fall begins. It is also called moisture recharging.

Early varieties of apple and pear trees require less water than later ones.

If you over-water pear trees, they may suffer from excess moisture.

Stone fruit trees (apricot, cherry, plum) need to be watered less frequently than pome trees (apple, pear).

If you expect a rich harvest from certain trees or shrubs, you should pay attention to watering these particular trees or shrubs Special attention. They will need more water than trees with lower yields or those that are taking a break from fruiting.

Rain watering helps save trees with budding buds from frost, which often occurs in the spring. Swollen buds and flower buds are the most vulnerable parts fruit and berry trees, and they must be protected from exposure to low and negative temperatures to preserve the harvest.

Young fruit trees need to be watered less than adults. This is especially true in the second half of summer, since excess moisture will provoke additional growth of shoots that will freeze out during the winter.

If fertilizers are used frequently and salts accumulate in the garden soil, which harms the growth of most plants, flushing irrigation is carried out. A large amount of water washes the salts dissolved in it to a great depth, cleansing the soil layer in which the bulk of the roots are located. For flushing irrigation, 2000-8000 liters of water are consumed for every 10 m2 of soil. The need for it may arise if they have been used for feeding plants for a long time. large quantities mineral fertilizers, natural organic fertilizers(compost, manure, peat) do not cause such an effect, although they also need to be dosed.

Regular moisture replenishment is one of the key conditions successful cultivation plants for the home. How to water indoor flowers correctly - knowledge necessary for every lover of greenery in the house. Indoor plants, as well as crops for open ground, need regular watering, and it should be specific for each species.

From this article you will learn how to water indoor flowers correctly and what characteristics of crops should be taken into account. We will also provide recommendations for arranging automatic watering and consider methods of watering flowers with peroxide, potassium permanganate or tea.

How to properly water indoor plants

Improper watering is considered one of the most common mistakes made by amateurs. indoor plants. It is the violation of the watering schedule that causes disease and death of crops.

If you lead a busy lifestyle and are often away from home, you will have to opt for unpretentious varieties that do not require regular watering or install an automatic watering system for the duration of your departure.

If you are planning to leave, the automatic watering system will provide sufficient moisture to your pets during your absence. Any gardener knows that abundant watering will provide the flower with enough moisture for two weeks.

Here's some expert advice on how to properly water indoor plants:(picture 1):

• You can use woolen thread or braid: it will act as wicks through which water will flow into the pot. One end of the thread is stuck into the pot, and the other is lowered into a vessel with water standing above the level of the pot.
• Mini greenhouse-cap made of transparent film over the pot. Stones are poured into a large transparent bag and a container with a flower is placed on them. The soil is watered abundantly and a film is tied on top.
• Using a plastic container with wet wipes or newspapers pre-placed at the bottom. Pots are placed on top. Wet wipes are also placed between the pots. Instead of napkins, you can simply pour water, but this method is not suitable for all types.
• Can be used plastic bottle, in which holes are pre-drilled in the bottom and plug. The bottle is filled with water and dropped a few centimeters with the neck down. The optimal diameter of the holes is determined experimentally. The size of the bottle depends on the lump of earth in the pot.

Such methods will help provide crops with water for several weeks. However, it should be borne in mind that periodically the flowers still need to be watered in the traditional way.

The video shows how you can set up automatic watering of plants at home.

Peculiarities

For automatic watering to be successful, you need to take into account some of its features. Firstly, in the warm season it is better to water flowers in the evening, and in winter - in the morning. Secondly, the pot must have drainage made of stones, broken bricks or expanded clay so that moisture does not linger at the roots. In addition, rain or settled water should be used for irrigation, since tap water contains a lot of lime.

Other features of watering indoor plants are:

• Watering is required only when the soil has dried well, so you must constantly check the condition of the soil before adding moisture.
• Varieties such as gloxinia, cyclamen, and saintpaulia do not like water, so they are watered in a tray.
• If the flowers tolerate water well, then do not forget to spray them. This action will additionally humidify the air and help keep them clean.
• To prevent burns from appearing on the leaves, it is not recommended to spray it if it is standing in direct sunlight, since the drops serve as a kind of magnifying glass.
• If, when watering, water is not absorbed into the soil, but pours out of the pot, this indicates that the soil has dried out. In such cases, it is recommended to immerse the pot up to the soil level in a container of water.
• An increase in temperature and light intensity increase the crop's need for watering.

Figure 1. Methods for automatically watering indoor flowers

In addition, it should be borne in mind that plants in ceramic pots are watered more often than flowers grown in plastic containers.

Secrets

The appearance of the plant reflects the lack or excess of water when watering. By carefully examining the flower, you can determine whether it has enough moisture.

For example, with a lack of water, the edges of the lower leaves become brown, dry or drooping, and the flowers quickly wither and fall off. With excess moisture lower leaves They turn yellow, signs of rot appear on them, and not on the flowers - mold, and the roots become limp.

Kinds

There are several types of irrigation, each of which is suitable for a specific type of crop.

There are certain characteristics for each type of irrigation(Figure 2):

• Overwatering: The soil contains a lot of moisture. This type of watering is suitable for calamus, azalea and cyperus.
• Abundant watering: The soil is kept constantly moist but so that the water does not stagnate in it. The flower is watered carefully as the soil dries. This type of watering is loved by: begonia, alocasia, calathea, lemon, ivy and oleander.
• Moderate watering: Before watering, the soil in the pot is allowed to dry out a couple of centimeters in the top layer of soil. This type of watering is preferable for representatives of the decorative group.

Figure 2. Basic methods of watering flowers in the house

Rare watering belongs to a separate species. In this case, the crop is kept in dry soil or watered only during active growth. The soil is allowed to dry completely before the next watering. They like this type of watering: gloxinia, caladium, crinum, philodendron, epiphyllum.

Automatic watering system for indoor plants

It is not difficult to make an automatic watering system for indoor plants at home (Figure 3). To do this, just take a large piece of dense natural fabric, moisten it generously with water and place flower pots on top (without pallets).

The second part of the fabric is lowered into a basin or other container with water. This way the fabric will remain constantly moist, and the crops will receive the necessary moisture through the drainage holes in the pots. However, this method should only be used if you will be away for no more than two weeks.

How to water indoor flowers to make them bloom

The florist's reward is lush flowering his plants. For this, time and effort are spent, a number of rules of care and maintenance are observed, and conditions are created.

Note: There are some species that rarely bloom. They release buds only when mature. These species include cactus and bamboo. Some cacti produce flowers in 10-15 years of life, bamboo once every 80 or 100 years.

In order for a plant to bloom, it is necessary to awaken the “survival instinct” in it. To do this, uncomfortable conditions are created for them, since under the watchful attention of the grower they are often in comfortable conditions and do not want to reproduce.

To form buds, a difference between day and night temperatures is artificially created. In normal times, a temperature of 18-20 degrees is considered comfortable, but in such conditions the plant will only throw out its leaves. To increase the chance of a bud appearing, the night temperature is reduced by 15 degrees.

Many varieties require vegetative dormancy. During this period, they are watered much less frequently and much less. Temperature environment less by 10 degrees. Such conditions are created only in a cold greenhouse or on the veranda; this provokes the flowering of some species.

Figure 3. Methods for making an automatic watering system with your own hands

There is a direct relationship between flowering and lighting. The formation of buds depends on the amount of light and its intensity. Duration daylight hours depends on the period in which the plant blooms natural environment a habitat. One may require short daylight hours, while another may require long ones. For example, chrysanthemums, nerines, kalanchoes, cyclamens, poinsettias require short daylight hours, while pelargoniums, senopolias and glokisinia require long daylight hours to flower.

Is it possible to water indoor flowers with hydrogen peroxide?

In practice Agriculture soaking seeds in solution is used of hydrochloric acid, since it is known that seeds contain inhibitors that prevent germination. In the natural environment, inhibitors are destroyed due to natural oxidation.

Note: Hydrogen peroxide is used to destroy inhibitors. The sown seeds are sprayed, moistened with a 1% peroxide solution from a spray bottle. But even a slight excess of the concentration of the solution will not cause harm. This method is suitable for sowing seeds in jars.

You can also simply water the plants once every 3-4 days with water and a three percent peroxide solution (Figure 4). With this type of watering, the crop is disinfected, since the concentration of the solution is chosen specifically for the purpose of disinfection.

Is it possible to water indoor flowers with potassium permanganate?

The main beneficial elements of potassium permanganate are potassium and manganese. Under the influence of manganese, microorganisms living in the soil increase their activity. However, watering should be moderate, since an excess of this element can cause harm, as can its excess.

Figure 4. Watering indoor plants with hydrogen peroxide

Potassium permanganate acidifies the soil, so watering using this solution is most suitable for species that prefer acidic soils. Crops that prefer acidic soil came to us from the tropics: begonia, hydrangea, ferns, tradescantia, cyperus, etc. But watering with potassium permanganate will also have a beneficial effect on violets and primroses, which are familiar to many gardeners.

Is it possible to water indoor flowers with tea?

This question is often asked by beginning gardeners. It is important to know what type of tea should be used and whether it should contain sugar (Figure 5).

This watering option is well suited for organic supporters, as tea can be considered good natural fertilizer. Any tea can be used for irrigation, the main thing is that it does not contain flavorings or additives of synthetic origin.

For watering with tea to be successful, you need to make sure that acidified soil is suitable for your flowers. Flowers are watered with tea several times a month.

Note: Do not use tea with sugar, moldy or sour for watering. Use a fresh tea solution that is not strong or sweet; it should be at room temperature.

In addition to watering with tea itself, tea leaves are also used as a top dressing. Its dosage is strictly controlled, and when applied it must be mixed with the top layer of soil. This fertilizing will help retain moisture in the soil and reduce the amount of watering.

Is it possible to water indoor flowers with yeast?

Home flowers need more intensive fertilizer than open ground plants. Yeast is especially useful for such crops, since indoor flowers grow in pots with a limited amount of nutrients.

Yeast has a good effect on plant growth and development. They become more resistant to pests and diseases, and also more resilient under conditions of insufficient humidity and insufficient light. Their root system develops better, and cuttings take root faster. After such feeding, the previously sluggish stem becomes more massive, the leaves fill with juice faster, and the buds develop faster and bloom longer.

Figure 5. Using tea to water plants

The secret of feeding with yeast is that it contains a special fungus that changes the composition of the soil. Microorganisms contained in the soil begin to actively produce in the body, releasing a lot of potassium and nitrogen, which are necessary for flowers. Moreover, it is simple and accessible remedy, since both dry and raw yeast diluted with water are suitable for feeding (at a concentration of 10 grams of yeast per 10 liters of water).

Note: To enhance the effect of the fertilizer, plant additives are added to its composition: hops or potato tops.

If you don’t have yeast on hand, you can use food waste: bread, crackers and other products containing the necessary substances.

The author of the video will tell you which fertilizers are best to use for indoor flowers.