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Stanwood, Washington

I have always watered once per day in the evening. However I have noticed that the soil is pretty well dried out (at least at the surface) by the early afternoon so I started watering a bit in the morning. Right now I am filling my tank up the night before with the desired amount of water and ferts. Then I putting about 1/3 of it through the drip tape before I leave for work and the rest when I get home. I have no idea if this is the best strategy or not.

For those that are watering more than once per day, what times of day do you water and proportionally how do you divide it. In other words do you water an equal amount each time or do you do more in the evening and less in the morning etc.

7/3/2023 3:29:58 PM

Lymington UK

Good question and one that always needs taking with a pinch of salt as everyones soil and conditions are different.
Before our pumpkins are the size of a beach ball they typically get 50gallons of water once a day.
This is “treat em mean, keep em keen”
We want the plant to be hunting for water ie making roots.
After the pumpkins are about the size of a beach ball we go to 150gallons a day. 50 early in the morning, 50 at lunch time and 50 just before dark.
This is way too much for the plant but it’s all about the pumpkin for the next 50ish days.
After that as the pumpkins start to slow we gradually cut down the water.
Remember we grow inside and 1200sqft plants

7/3/2023 4:23:57 PM

valtierra/spain

The ideal is 3 times a day as Ian says, but if you water once a day, it is best in the morning. You will wake up the plants, and they will have enough moisture for the whole day, and at night, they will have more oxygen in the soil. If it is only once a day, I think early morning is best.

7/3/2023 5:09:46 PM

Deer Park WA

We also water via fertigation 3 times a day with a combination of drip tape and overhead mist in tbe heat of the day.

7/3/2023 5:16:55 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

My schedule has been 4x per day through the drip. 7am, 10am, 4pm and 9pm.

7/3/2023 6:05:02 PM

Western NY

3 times a day here once the timers are set up. Exact schedule depends on the zone since it rotates around. Basically once in the morning, once in the afternoon / evening, and once after dark.

7/3/2023 10:35:16 PM

Wisconsin

I have a question for the guys that water 3x a day. Do you ever get dry further down in the soil and how do you make up for it? If you watered 150 gallon in the morning you would get far deeper water penetration than if you water 50 gallons 3x a day. Drip would probably combat this problem better than overhead watering.

7/4/2023 9:24:08 AM

Lymington UK

We definitely get down deep enough Mike. I would definitely advise that after watering for a couple of days grower’s get a spade out so that they know exactly what’s going on.

7/4/2023 3:13:00 PM

Lodi, California

Interesting point about letting some air into the soil at night Ruben, the roots need oxygen too for cellular respiration

7/5/2023 11:21:22 AM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Those of you who can water 3x per day must have incredible drainage. My smallish patch ( 3000 sq. feet ) is pretty close to the water table and with the insane amount of rain we have received, I haven’t watered in over a month. I don’t mean that in a good way.

7/6/2023 7:56:51 AM