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anytown U.S,A,

Watering overhead sprinklers or drip does it really matter?
When to water?

1/15/2007 9:48:36 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

When to water
several years ago I heard the results of a study done on watering and the effect on plants. From the flowers point of view it was 30% more effective to water in the late afternoon, allowing several hours for drying time. This allowed more time for the plants to build up the water supply for the following day. When you water in the morning on a hot day they never get enough time to move the fluids to protect themselves. I assume this would be also true with Pumpkins. if your trying to keep a plant from burning on a hot day, water or mist when the sun is most direct (11:00 - 3:00). Usually just letting the plant have a breather of 1/2 hour is enough to make it through the day. if the amount of water is a concern then early morning (per dawn) is the best time to reduce evaporation.

1/15/2007 11:20:08 AM

Montoursville, PA

On a hot day with plants showing wilt a two or three minute light overhead sprinkler job will usually not have any bad effect used between eleven and four oclock. In its simplest form I water overhead two or three minutes of each half hour using a timer. The same timer can be used longer if needed by setting to constant flow. I purchased my battery opperated timer from Dripworks of California. You need the one that will permit any number of stops and starts. That boils down to discussing this with the selling firm. My cost four years ago was $69.00. Think the cost of poker went up to about $125.00 as of last summer when a buddy bought one from Dripworks.

1/15/2007 10:31:09 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

I started out with drip, but now I have learned the soil is a living organizm, so, if you do not have moisture throughout your soil the good guys might die.

Doc, any thoughts on that?

1/16/2007 7:17:19 PM

Montoursville, PA

Geese the question is not clear to me. Break it down with a little more detail. Or maybe I will get your answer just stating some simple basic stuff for you.

Nice even moisture no matter how it is achieved is a learned skill that improves with practice. A moisture deprived plant will be stressed. Likewise a flooded root zone will stress via lack of oxygen. Drip watering is generally thought to deliver the most even constant water management.

The soil is a package of biological life including bacteria, fungi,living mycroscopic critters from amoeba to neematodes. There are visable members too worms to beneficial insects. All this and more is your living soil or working parts that live in and process the soil parts to foods the plants can use. These living critters attach to, hang onto and wedge themselves between the minerals. There are more than ninety trace minerals just to mention the key players. Pick up a handfull of soil. You will be holding these parts and much more, in your hands.

All parts of this real life package can be built up or knocked down or back by our various management decisions. Sometimes Nature delivers the blessings and sometimes Nature can hurt you and the soil with excesses.

1/16/2007 7:43:11 PM