[Woulfeman]

First time allotment holder with very little experience of gardening.

Watering?  HOw often and how much?

Have been watering everyday but ground seems dry everytime I go back.

Would appreciate any advice

[DD.]

Firstly, welcome to the forums.

What are you watering? I've watered nothing yet, with the exception of newly planted seedlings.

Over watering causes plants to make root near the surface where there is an adequate supply. If that supply is withdrawn, (you go on hols!), it won't have a deep root to find the moister soil.

[vegmandan]

Watering just a little does more harm than good as it just keeps the roots shallow.

Once  a week with a total soaking is better in hot weather as the roots will follow the water down and cope better in a long dry spell.

[Yorkie]

Vegmandan,

Has that onion in your avatar got bigger  :roll:   :?:

[vegmandan]

No, still 6lb 10 oz.  

[woodburner]

Check below the surface to tell what's really going on.

[SkipRat]

I agree that you have to see whats happening below the surface. I stick my finger into the soil if it comes back clean and dry, I water. If it comes back colored and damp I leave alone. Agree that watering litlle and often dosn,t really help the roots to search for water and in a prolonged drought this will become more evident.

[crowndale]

My soil at the moment resembles a desert.  I raked it yesterday and it was very dry.  but dig down just an inch or two and its still nice and damp.  so, as with everyone else, I water only seedlings when planted out and then give them a soaking, and don't do it much more.

[Woulfeman]

Thanks for the advice will put my watering can away then

Thank god for that!

[woodburner]

My soil at the moment resembles a desert.  I raked it yesterday and it was very dry.  but dig down just an inch or two and its still nice and damp.  so, as with everyone else, I water only seedlings when planted out and then give them a soaking, and don't do it much more.

Cucurbits are nototriously thirsty plants, I use an inverted 2l bottle with the bottom cut off sunk almost to the 'rim' to get water straight into the ground near the roots. Tomatoes are thirsty too, and I believe I'm right in saying that brassicas need to be kept at least moist.

[fatbelly]

Sounds like I have got it wrong because on Friday and Sunday I gave my plot a real good soaking with the hosepipe thinking it would help things along.
I will let things be a for a a week or so now and then before I water again I will dig down a few inches and see how dry the soil is.

I wondered why the old timers on our site were looking at me in wonderment when I was watering.

[sharky]

No, still 6lb 10 oz.  

lol, what variety was it and how did you get it to grow that big?

[Filament]

what about when you first plant potatoes or onions or seedlings. Do you need to water them in? I put my onions sets in and watered them in and I put my potatoes in and haven't watered them as the soil was moist 6 inches down. as for cabbage seedlings do I need to water them in when I first plant them even if the ground is moist just below the surface?

[yorky]

When planting out seedlings I always water them in, regardless of how wet the soil already is. It helps to settle the soil and bring it into good contact with the rootball.

[Filament]

When planting out seedlings I always water them in, regardless of how wet the soil already is. It helps to settle the soil and bring it into good contact with the rootball.

Thanks Yorkie. Even with potatoes?