I've been gardening for a bit now and usually just check the soil moisture with my finger or wait until the plants start to droop to decide when to water. But I came across instructions stating that some plants need 2 inches of water each week, and I'm curious about how to accurately measure that. Is it as simple as using a rain gauge or should I turn off my sprinkler when it hits that mark? Also, what would be the best way to measure for potted plants or trees?
2 Answers
The 2 inches usually refers to the amount of rainfall your plants would ideally receive each week. So if your area isn’t getting that much rain, you'd need to supplement by watering. A rain gauge can help you track how much water your garden is getting from rain and how much you might need to add yourself.
I read that you can put a frisbee in your garden to gauge water depth—when it's full, that's about an inch! But really, a rain gauge will give you a more accurate measure. Personally, I water when the top couple of centimeters of soil are dry. For newly planted ones, I tend to water them a bit more often until they're established.
That's a clever idea with the frisbee! Definitely a fun way to keep an eye on things while gardening.