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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Save water by paying attention to soil, plant needs

Drip irrigation systems conserve water in vegetable gardens and flower beds. (SUSAN MULVIHILL SPECIAL TO THE S / SUSAN MULVIHILL Special to The Spokesman-Review)

As much as I’ve been enjoying these beautiful, sunny days, our unseasonably high temperatures are a little alarming. While I don’t have a crystal ball to predict this summer’s weather, I do know water conservation should be on our minds.

Last November, I attended the Tilth Producers of Washington’s annual conference and learned some interesting concepts about watering practices in times of drought.

Troy Peters, extension irrigation specialist and associate scientist with the WSU Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, led a workshop on this topic. The information he shared can be applied to lawn care and home gardens, not just farms.

He pointed out that it’s important to know your soil texture since each has a different water-holding capacity. For example, Peters noted, it’s a misconception that sandy soils need more water all at once. Instead, sandy soils should be watered more frequently.

“You make problems worse by overwatering because you’re overwhelming the soil’s capacity to hold it,” he explained.

Whether you’re a gardener or a farmer, Peters offered some guidelines about watering practices:

Don’t use the same watering schedule all season long. Conditions and plants’ water needs change throughout the season.

Don’t just “kick the dirt and look at the plants.” That doesn’t provide enough information.

Do use a shovel or soil probe to determine the amount of moisture in the soil at the depth of the plants’ roots.

Do consult AgWeatherNet for the current conditions. Found online at weather.wsu.edu, it provides the air temperature, dew point, relative humidity, wind direction and velocity, soil temperature and other details for weather stations throughout Washington.

When it comes to our lawns, Peters explained that they can survive with about 60 percent less water than we would apply to keep them green during dry weather. You can accomplish this by reducing the watering frequency but not the length of time the sprinklers run.

“It may not look great, but when you fully irrigate it again, it will bounce back,” he said.

He also recommends watering at night when there will be less evaporation, and repairing leaky hoses and sprinklers. This conserves water and ensures even distribution throughout the irrigation zone.

As an avid vegetable gardener, I learned some interesting facts about watering my crops.

Peters explained that there are certain stages in a vegetable plant’s growth when water is crucial and other times when it’s OK to cut back.

“You don’t want to stress the plants when they are flowering, producing or setting seed,” he said. “However, they can be water-stressed during vegetative growth stages in late spring and late in the season.”

For the techies out there, WSU’s new Irrigation Scheduler mobile app can be a valuable tool. Based on weather data, this free app provides a wealth of information, along with models showing the amount of water specific crops and soil textures require.

Peters feels this app will help homeowners and farmers use up to 30 percent less water.

“Be informed in your watering habits,” he said. “That way, you won’t have over- or under-watered areas in your landscape.”

Susan Mulvihill is co-author, with Pat Munts, of “Northwest Gardener’s Handbook.” Contact her at Susan@susansinthegarden.com and follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/susansinthegarden.