How do you know if your water is getting deep enough in the bed?

After you water just use a trowel or spoon or something nd dig down nearby and see how far down the soil is wet.
 
I was going to suggest just poking your finger down in the soil.

A lot depends on how you are watering, how dry the soil is to begin with and how rapidly the soil can absorb the water being applied. Does the water soak in as you are watering or does it tend to pool up and run off? A good slow soaking is better than trying to dump a lot of water all at once when you are doing the watering, of course you can't control rainfall.

This time of year, depending on your location, the soil will retain the moisture much better than later in the summer months. Watering deeply and slowly is better than trying to water a little bit more often.
Hope this helps!
 
If this is *seeds* we're talking about, I'd suggest hand-watering very lightly with a fine sprayer or a watering can with a fine rosette. The seeds are only a fraction of an inch below the surface, maybe a couple inches *tops* depending on the seed, almost any water you put on will soak in to them and you don't want to wash them out! Nor waterlog the soil, which when the soil is cooler and plants are not growing much is a bigger risk than in summer.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat
 
You know we have been "dealing" with this issue too..

first of all our soil is very very sandy.. we did not have the added time or the extra money to purchase amendments this year.. so more will be added from the compost next year.. this year will have to do..

I have been going out and hand watering with a sprayer attachment on the hose.. for at least 20 min.. but when I flip over the wet soil it is only like maybe 1/4 inch wet. It does have a tendancy to run off and pool where I dont want it so I keep watering untill it goes into the ground where I want it..

We just started using a sprinkler and letting it run for like 1/2 hour to 1 hour.. but still only like 1/4 of the soil is getting wet?

Someone help..
 
If you have established garden going, you could put in a raingauge where you're watering and water until it hits 1" or so, which is what most things need per week.

If you mulch a lot, though, you may not even need that much.

If you just planted these seeds, consider watering by hand right where the seeds are planted. Otherwise, you will be watering weed seeds and giving them a jumpstart on the seeds you planted. Good luck!
 
I never thought about the weed seeds.. but there are quite a few plants in that garden

meatballs.gif
 
I was just a a gardening program last week where they reminded us that the most efficient way to water your garden is with a bucket and a scoop and put the water directly on the plant you are watering. That way you are not wasting water that evaporates in the air while you are using the sprinkler and you are not watering weed seeds!
 
setter4 said:
I was just a a gardening program last week where they reminded us that the most efficient way to water your garden is with a bucket and a scoop and put the water directly on the plant you are watering. That way you are not wasting water that evaporates in the air while you are using the sprinkler and you are not watering weed seeds!
Click to expand...
FINALLY SOMETHING I CAN MEASURE!!!
Please now tell me... how much per plant?
 
Mel Bartholomew (square foot gardening guy) sez a cup of water per seedling, once or twice a week.

I've only ever done it by eye though. I almost exclusively hand-water each plant (or row for something like beans) because I am such a water miser :P You give the plant as much water as you think it needs, or a little less, and then you check it every day and repeat when it seems to need more.

Pat
 
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