under/over water question

Hi All,

In my little garden I have Zukes (4) and Lemon Cucumbers (3). Last night we had three thunder showers roll through. From the noise I feared hail. Looking through the windows, my plants were nearly underwater. I feared for them. (Bad enough I eat their children.)

When I was able to assess the damage in the morning, I was shocked that not only was there no damage, but the stinkers had actually grown about 20% over yesterday!

Am I under watering? Or is this just a good one time thing and adding more water risks root rot?

Many thanks,

-T

Reply to
Todd
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Cucurbits will shown signs of underwatering quickly as they will wilt, luckily they also recover quickly. If yours are not wilting in the afternoon they are not under watered. Be careful with watering that you don't wet the leaves or splash mud up on to them as they are very susceptible to mildew on the leaves, especially when the humidity is high. If you do water more make it few deep waterings not many shallow ones. In principle thunder storms add nitrogen to the soil as the lightning fixes atmospheric nitrogen into soluble compounds but I doubt that you would see results overnight from one storm!

D
Reply to
David Hare-Scott

Okay, a few good soakings spread apart, rather than server light waterings. I can adjust my timer.

Our humidity ranges between 10 and 20% (high desert). They wilt slightly during the worst heat of the day. Their branches have taken to sticking straight up. Leaves too at 45deg angles. I presumed they caught a freight when they discovered what I was up to.

Maybe all that water soaked my compose better into the soil. That would add a lot of nitrogen. I may not have watered my compose in enough when I laid it down. Coupled with the nitrogen from the three storms, it might explain things.

You should see all the flowers on them too! I have noticed that my Zukes tend to have growth spurts. (They get any bigger and they will probably try to kick my ass next time I get my knife too close to their offspring.)

I am guessing at the 20%. I did not make a measurement.

Thank you for the advice!

-T

Reply to
Todd

Most plants that have to drink treated water all year are ecstatic when they can get a good fix of clean sky water. At least that's what I have always observed with my plants. This is So Calif coastal -- basically a desert, with a rainy season (maybe) between Nov and March, and nothing thereafter.

Sounds like your happy rain water soaked right in, which it would do unless one's soil is semi-impervious. Be grateful to the Rain Gods

Reply to
Higgs Boson

Hi Higgs,

I was at one of the local Greenhouses a couple of days ago and the "horticulturist" said the same thing you said: "Water from the sky is so much better than what comes out of our taps". So I do believe you called it. Thank you!

-T

Reply to
Todd

That's baloney... if your tap water is potable enough to drink it's potable enough for plants. There is nothing added to municiple water in amounts enough to affect plants, the dirt in your yard contains far more harmful elements and still plants will thrive. And untreated rain water is not all that pure, whatever pollutants are in the air is in rain water.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

That being said, the phenomenon has been observes by myself and others. Would be interesting to an actual scientific study on it. Wonder if the tap water treatments have anything to do with it.

Reply to
Todd

Todd - David H-S gave the answer in the first response to your original post - it's got nothing to do with potability of water - it's to do with Nitrogen.

Do a search on "Atmospheric nitrogen" or the "nitrogen cycle" or "Lightening nitrogen rain" and that will explain to you why rainwater is so good for plants. Rainwater contains nitrogen in the form needed by plants (that form of N is formed by lightening).

Reply to
Farm1

I figured. I was just being nice.

Reply to
Todd

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