Without water there is no garden.
Having a large garden requires having a large supply of water. Gardens get a little bit of rain in the spring and fall, but they usually rely on pressurized or sprinkler irrigation during the summer growing months. Some cities charge a monthly fee for water usage, and others charge by the number of gallons you use. You should consider the cost of the water compared with the benefits of producing your own food when you decide whether it is worth it to water a large garden. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Flood Irrigation
1. Dig garden rows from highest to lowest elevation using a garden hoe. Dig them 4 inches deep. Space the rows 24 inches apart.
2. Plant seeds along the ridges of each row.
3. Drop a garden hose into each row, and allow the row to fill with water. Dig out high spots in the row blocking the flow of water until the water fills the row quickly and evenly. The first watering will take the longest because the soil in the row will need to settle. Move the hose to the next row. Continue this until each row has been watered and the ridges on both sides of the row where the seeds are planted are saturated 3 to 4 inches beneath the surface.
4. Allow the seeds to germinate and sprout up to 3 inches.. Apply a 2 inch layer of organic mulch around the plants to hold in moisture.
Sprinkler Irrigation
5. An oscillating sprinkler sprays water in a fan formation.
Set up an oscillating sprinkler at the bottom of the the garden with the garden hose leading toward the top of the garden.
6. Set the sprinkler setting so that it goes all the way to the left and all the way to the right.
7. Turn the hose on full pressure, and allow the sprinkler to water until the soil is soaked 3 to 4 inches below the surfaces.
8. Turn the sprinkler off, then pull the hose up through the garden until it is in the middle of the garden. Turn the water on, and soak that area to 3 to 4 inches. Turn it off, then pull it to the top of the garden and soak 3 to 4 inches. Move the sprinkler around if needed to reach other areas of the garden.
9. Place multiple hoses and sprinklers throughout the garden, and water one section at a time by attaching the designated hose to the water source.
Drip or Trickle Irrigation
10. Lay a delivery tube alongside each row of planted seeds.
11. Place a 150-mesh filter in the female end of the supply line, then screw the supply line hose to the water source.
12. Lay the supply line along the head or top of the garden rows.
13. Attach each of the delivery tubes to the supply line by screwing the male and female couplings together.
14. Turn the water on, and inspect each delivery hose to ensure that water is dripping out of each hole along its length.
15. Cover the delivery line with 2 inches of organic mulch to reduce moisture evaporation.
Tags: supply line, each delivery, garden hose, garden rows, hose water, hose water source, large garden