Water calculation ?

[JoanneNC]

Is there a way to calculate how many gallons of water it would take to water a 60x10 garden. I am considering purchasing a rain barrel but trying to find out how far 1 would take me or if I need several. Can anyone help?

Thanks
JoanneNC

 

[Rosalind]

Depends. What are you planting there? What's your soil like? How much rain do you normally get? Are you affected by any semi-predictable summer droughts, that you might want to save water up for a few months to make it through a dry spell? How is the rain barrel getting filled--just open to the sky, or from roof runoff? Were you going to mulch the garden?

 

[digitS']

Joanne,

1 US gallon = 231 cubic inches

1 square foot = 144 square inches

So, that gallon will cover 1.6 square feet, 1 inch deep in water.

As Rosalind says, irrigating your garden plants depends on soil, mulch, and rainfall. I could add other things like wind, humidity, and crops grown. But, let's say that you followed the ol' rule of thumb for lawn grass and put down 1 inch of water each week on your garden. And, there's no rain.

Your 600 square foot garden (60' by 10') would need 375 gallons of water each week.

I think I did all that math right . . .

Steve