Using water similar to drip irrigation question?

[nao57]

So... I noticed if I up the amount of times I water per day, the plants grow better and faster. This doesn't mean I'm using more water though, because what I'm 'trying' to do is divide up the water among the number of times per day I water without increasing it too much. It seems to work.

So I wanted to ask those of you that have tried stuff similar to drip irrigation is there a limit to how many times per day you can water, in getting maximum growth? This is a bit tricky to ask since drip irrigation is basically dripping alll day long and not just a number of times per day. But I thought that maybe people who have experimented with drip irrigation might have some insight on this.

If the temperature remains fairly consistent and not cooling down, it would seem like it could work... but what is the maximum number of intervals in a day before you are just wasting time or not getting more benefit?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

 

[Debbie292d]

We leave the hose dripping on the smaller trees for hours, but the garden gets the sprinkler for about half an hour per area.

Intervals like you're talking could possibly give the plant a shortage, and thus the roots will start coming up to the surface to get to the water. We pump water from the creek that has to come up a steep hill, which causes a toll on the pump. We don't want to turn it on and off as that's harder on it than just running it for a long time. We've got sprinklers that we'll set out and move every hour or so.

I think a good soak is also needed the night before when the sun will be out the next day baking the plant or tree, as the ground stays cooler where the soil is wet or damp.

 

[Sally PB]

Mulch can help a lot. It helps the ground stay moister and cooler. Conserves water and energy.

 

[nao57]

We leave the hose dripping on the smaller trees for hours, but the garden gets the sprinkler for about half an hour per area.

Intervals like you're talking could possibly give the plant a shortage, and thus the roots will start coming up to the surface to get to the water. We pump water from the creek that has to come up a steep hill, which causes a toll on the pump. We don't want to turn it on and off as that's harder on it than just running it for a long time. We've got sprinklers that we'll set out and move every hour or so.

I think a good soak is also needed the night before when the sun will be out the next day baking the plant or tree, as the ground stays cooler where the soil is wet or damp.

When you rotate every half hour, how often do you come back over the same spot to repeat? And what do you recommend for that?

 

[Debbie292d]

When you rotate every half hour, how often do you come back over the same spot to repeat? And what do you recommend for that?

Every couple of days, unless we got a substantial rain.