The bio-intensive approach to small-scale household food production: Crop management: Watering

The bio-intensive approach to small-scale household food production

Crop management

		Crop planning
		Using the fenceline for planting annual and perennial crops
		Companion plant guide chart
		Vegetables that can be harvested in less than a month
		Shade-tolerant vegetables
		Drought-resistant vegetables
		Solarization: A weed control technique using sunlight
		Watering
		Mulching
		The role of organic mulches
		Some tropical materials for use as mulch
		Gardening in dry environments
		Water-saving ideas for gardens during dry season
		Growing vegetables in saline areas
		Lead in urban gardens

Watering

One of the most critical factors for successful gardening is water. Poor watering practices can stunt plant growth and can even be fatal to plants. As a rule, plants should be watered thoroughly but infrequently. Thorough watering dampens the soil. This allows the water to move down through the soil by progressively satisfying the waterholding capacity of every soil particle. Likewise, well-sequenced watering allows the water to sink slowly and the soil surface to dry up. These conditions encourage the development of a deep root system.

Well Sequenced Watering

Too Frequent Watering

Plants are deep-rooted and can withstand drought periods because they rely on subsoil water.

Plants are shallow-rooted and suffer with even a slight reduction in moisture availability; plants become dependent on applied water.

Note: This does not apply to young plants (i.e., less than 40 days old), which need daily watering in dry weather.