How to Irrigate a Small Organic Garden

During these times of global warming, increased intense radiation from the sun, drought and water restrictions, caring for your own vegetable garden is extremely difficult, labor intensive and expensive. But if you plan sensibly and execute your plan diligently, you might harvest some of the sweetest and most appealing bounty ever. Read on to learn how to irrigate a small organic garden.

Things You'll Need

• Water source (a well is best)
• Rubber hose
• Watering wand (3 feet in length)
• Garden hoe
• Shovel
• Post hole digger
• Tiller (with tyne spread of 2½ to 3 feet)

Instructions

1. Lay out the garden before tilling so that each row is 3 feet wide with another three feet between each row. Till the garden spot thoroughly several times before planting. On the final tilling, till the walkways between the rows first, then till the rows last so that they will be slightly higher than walkways. Avoid stepping in the rows from this point forward.

2. Plan the garden so that there is a slight incline that runs down the length of the garden so that the walkways once packed will serve as ditches for run-off if you ever have a rainstorm.

3. Dig holes using the post hole digger for planting each plant about 6 inches in diameter and about a foot deep for tomato vines and more shallow or narrow for smaller plants. The holes should be far enough apart that you will have enough space to walk around each plant and pass between them without bumping into them. Fill each hole with compost. Spread the soil from the holes along the row, which will raise it slightly higher over the walkways. After planting, there will be slight downgrade into the holes that will keep most of the water around the roots. This not only increases the efficiency of watering the plants, but also retards growth of weeds and grass everywhere else in the garden.

4. Dig shallow, narrow trenches to will take water out of the garden from the walkways between the rows. You will need to watch how the water flows in the garden the next time you have a big rain.

5. Hoe the rows at least once per week using the garden hoe (there are many fancier tools designed to improve this process, but the old-fashioned hoe works best once you become skilled in using it). Hoe carefully and gently but firmly around each plant. As you break up and aerate the soil, form a bowl around the hole that gets closer as the weather becomes hotter and dryer, but always have at least enough room around the stem for the hoe to fit easily.

6. When the plants are 1 to 2 feet high, till one last time down the walkways between the rows to loosen the soil, but don’t till as deeply as you would during cultivation. This will build up the rows even more distinctly. The soil will pack back down much quicker than you’d think.

7. Water every day or every other day, depending on your schedule. Pull a hose down between the rows and walk from each plant to the next, filling each hole with water using the wand till it nearly crests the walls of the bowl if you water every other day or more shallow if you water every day.

Tips & Warnings

• Move slowly and never take any risks with the hoe so that you won’t damage your plants. Always keep your eye on the stem and never lose sight of it through the foliage.