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Pinedale, WY

I know the answer depends on a lot of variables like size of plant, type of soil, amount of rain, etc. But I have no clue on how much water to water my plants. I am just getting ready to start my seeds indoors and then transplant in a week. The first couple of weeks how much water and how often am I going to water? I don't have any sprinkler system set-up this year so don't tell me in "inches" how much because I have no way of measuring. Am I going to be pouring 1/2 gallon 2 gallons, 5 gallons a day? And what about when the fruit sets, how much then while it grows? Again I realize that this depends on a lot of different things, but if you can at least ballpark it for me, I can adjust from there. Thanks!

4/30/2007 7:55:59 PM

Minnesota

I'm a begginer to, but, I think they mean you need a water gage in your garden when they say you should give it a inch a week. I'm only able to water mine once a week and I water the sh t out of it when I do.

4/30/2007 8:18:35 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Ask that question on the fertilizing and watering link Pastor.

You'll love this site, this is my second year and there is always a lot of people willing to help you out.

There are ways of calculating your water, and these plants love about 2" per week. Gotta plan it around rain though. Mother Natures sprinkler makes the plants grow faster.

Good luck.

4/30/2007 8:28:38 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

watering is really tricky to say "everyone has to water X inches per week" especially in the early days of your plant, the colder it is the less it needs. go buy a moisture meter and stick it several places around the plant, i would favor a LITTLE too wet as apposed to too dry

temperature, soil type, and wind are the big factors in how much to water

4/30/2007 9:28:50 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Pastor, measuring inches aint that tough, even when hand watering with a spray nozzle, or an overhead sprinkler....put a tuna can (or something with a flat bottom) down somewhere in the middle of yer watering zone...be it 4ft x 4 ft...by hand, or 40ft x 40ft by sprinkler...check the level of the water every once in a while, and you will know approx. how much water has been applied!!!!!!! Bingo!! A long ago folks tole me, dont make it harder than it really is!!!!! From the son of a SB minister!!!! Peace, Wayne

4/30/2007 10:12:00 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Let's boil this down by the gallon & some specified areas.

All of these quantities are for ONE INCH of water.

1 acre (43,560 sq ft) = 27,000 gallons
1,000 sq ft = 620 gallons
100 sq ft = 62 gallons
10 sq ft = 6.2 gallons
1 sq ft = 2.5 quarts

As the roots expand, the targeted irrigation area increase rapidly. The freshly transplanted seedling may only require a 1 square foot area of water for a week. Hence a gallon of water would be overkill.

Given good growing conditions, this area will expand to 4'x4' or 16 sq ft in the second week. So now 10 gallons will be needed to deliver a FULL INCH to the same plant.

If the same plant is ultimately rooted into an area of 600 sq ft, it will then require 370 gallons to achieve the same result.

5/1/2007 12:01:16 AM

Greene County, Pa.

i dug huge holes in my clay soil, i do mean huge, holds over 1 yd soil,i dug my dirt out this spring to give it some goodies, i do have drain pipes since i am in clay. i watered my planting holes not stump 24 gallons water every day and never saw 1 drop of water come out my drain pipes.also need to water the rest of the plant. note i found roots 1 inch in diameter at the bottom of my holes
buddyg

5/1/2007 1:41:46 AM

Rhode Island

we keep the soil moist at all times. never really saturated

stick you hand a couple inches below the soils surface. if you make a ball with the soil and upon opening your palm the ball remains intact then your ok for water,
if it fall apart start watering.

during times when we get no rain we use this method and end up watering every second or third day, applying enough to allow penetration deep into the soil.

a lot of this is guess work based on the type of soil you have. soils that hold a lot of water would obviously need much less attention.

5/1/2007 7:55:22 AM

Pinedale, WY

Thanks Tremor and Pap, I got a good idea now. This site is awesome.

5/1/2007 12:46:26 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I'm with Dick once the season is under way. Natural rain & soil anomolies mean that the "hand in dirt" method is likely the best bet. Who has a seperate water meter on the pumpkins anyway? Wait a minuite.....I do know a guy with that. LOL

5/2/2007 12:06:25 AM