We cannot simply plant and forget then wait until harvest. Most of our edible plants will require constant moisture for optimum growth and abundant pickings, and when the soil begins to dry out they can quickly turn up their toes and the quality and size of our rewards will be diminished.
Those without a well-functioning irrigation system will find the lack of rain is leading to endless hours of hand-watering, though there are some positives here. Spending time both morning and afternoon in the garden helps us to become intimately familiar with our plants and we achieve a deeper understanding of how they grow, flower and fruit. With each swish of the hose we notice where new shoots are coming from, what insects are around at particular times of the day, and when we need to stake or tie up our taller crops. We can also have regular nibbles of both leaf and fruit to assess when things might be ready for the kitchen.
Pests and diseases can also be monitored more effectively the more we are out in the garden. There’s nothing worse than your favourite fruit or vegetable being inundated with pest insects or devoured by rats or possums. The more we are observing our gardens, the quicker we can get onto pest issues and take steps to remedy the situation. A few white butterflies hovering around our leafy greens in the afternoon will inform us that the few holes appearing in the leaves will likely be caused by their little green munchers. And those small caterpillars will grow at an alarming rate and smash a kale or broccoli in a matter of days unless kept in check. Similarly with our fruit trees: pests such as the pear and cherry slug can be promptly taken care of if we address them early. However, if left alone for too long they can decimate a small tree and you’ll be tearing your hair out in disappointment.
While daily hand-watering hopefully leads to daily observation of your garden, installing an irrigation system need not prevent the same level of attention. Drippers and sprays do not care for your crops; they are but one part of the regular care your garden requires. And irrigation systems can fail also. The battery in your timer may run out of power, a solenoid valve may fail, or you might just get a blowout in your irrigation line. In saying that, though, installing an irrigation system really is an important way to keep constant soil moisture levels and happier plants.
A daily walk around will always lead to better outcomes and will help you understand your garden much more than just planting and leaving until harvest. Continuous learning and improvement will be rewarded.
HAPPY HARVESTING!
