What is 1 inch of water?

I have read that a typical vegetable garden requires 1 inch of water per week. If i there is no rain, how can calculate the time to leave the sprinkler on? I have a 16sqft garden. We have no water restrictions in my area. (not yet anyway)

Reply to
higgledy
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Andy comments:

Set a can, like a Crisco can, in the yard and see how long it takes to get an inch of water in it..... From then on, you can just leave your sprinklers on for that long,.,,

Bear in mind that different parts of the yard may get water at different rates..... You gotta use a little judgement, but the method is sound.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

PS It takes a LONG time for most sprinkler systems to deliver an inch of water

Reply to
AndyS

Seems so obvious now that you explained it. I thought it would involve algebra. Thanks.

Reply to
higgledy
1 inch/per week is a good rule of thumb. Keep in mind that some veggies need more or less water... sweet corn usually needs more water for example. Water needs change with plant growth and weather conditions.

The 1 inch also needs to include run off and evaporation. BTW, I use tuna cans when measurining my sprinklers.

From Ohio State Water vegetables deeply by soaking soil to a depth of 5 to 6 inches. Apply water at a rate of about 1/2 inch per hour to prevent runoff. If the rate of application of a watering system is unknown, use the tests in the lawn chapter to determine how much water is delivered.

The ideal watering system delivers the water to the soil without getting the foliage wet. Emitter-type systems, soaker hoses and hand-held watering wands work well.

Emitter-type or DRIP IRRIGATION systems work well with container gardens and widely spaced vegetables like squash and melons. These systems use a series of plastic hoses and directional devices that bring water right to the root zone of plants. They also keep water off foliage and away from weeds that may compete for available moisture.

These systems use about half the amount of water consumed by overhead sprinklers. However, it takes some planning to install them correctly and they're relatively expensive. The tubes are frequently cut when digging and cultivating. To prevent damage to the tubes, mark their location. Mulch to control weeds and reduce cultivating.

SOAKER HOSES release a very slow trickle of water and must be strategically placed throughout the garden bed. These hoses keep water in the root zone and off the leaves. They reduce loss of moisture through evaporation.

They release water to a rather restricted area depending on the soil type, so careful placement is important. Installation does not require the planning of emitter systems and these usually can be put in place at any time of the season.

Soaker hoses can be buried 2 to 4 inches deep if put in place before planting. Here, water lost to evaporation is reduced, but buried hoses may be cut accidentally. It takes a long time for adequate water to be delivered to the area. For that reason, it is recommended that the garden be divided into sections so one hose does not water the entire plot.

Many larger gardens are watered by stationary or portable sprinklers. Check uniformity of application. Overlap distribution to ensure uniformity. Raise the oscillating-type sprinkler by placing it on some type of platform. Although oscillating sprinklers are inexpensive and require no planning, low water pressure and wind can make this system wasteful. Morning is the recommended time to use this system.

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Reply to
Nicole

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Reply to
dr-solo

Right !! they say that if you put an empty tin can onto the ground an

either measure the rain or sprinkler in the can.if its an inch dee then youve had an inch of rain.An inch is helluva lot as when I wa trying to gauge this after installin sprinklers it took ages to get 1/ inch of water measured and the turf was saturated. stuart

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-- simplesprinkler

Reply to
simplesprinkler

Put a rain gauge in the water path. It takes a few hours to get one inch. The same rule applies to watering grass, it needs an inch a week.

Reply to
Tom Randy

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