Re: Deep, infrequent watering

When I lived in Davis in the hot central valley, I trained my drought- tolerant garden to be watered every 2 weeks using drippers. They were watered for 6-8 hours so that the entire root zone would be well- watered in the Yolo clay loam. New plants had to be watered much more frequently the first year but this worked well for most of the plants once established. If a plant couldn't survive under this watering regime, it had to be moved to a section of the garden that got more frequent water.
The rest of my garden got watered just once a week on either drip or micro-sprayers. It's true that the garden didn't look it's best by the end of the summer, but that is just the way it is in the extremely long dry summers of our "Mediterranean" climate.
Also, it's important to note that a deep layer of mulch makes a big difference in helping plants survive and look better on less water. 

Dana Drennan

On Oct 4, 2009, at 8:38 PM, Joseph Seals wrote:


First, I prefer the word "effective" to the word "efficient".

To me "efficient" implies an engineered use of water.

"Effective" implies a result.
The "result" we want from applying water the best way we can is a drought-tolerant plant, a drought-tolerant garden.
Second, deep, infrequent watering does, indeed, train roots to go deeply. Contrary to the myth that "plant roots find water", we gardeners have the power either to create shallow root growth that becomes dependent on frequent watering or to create deep, extensive root growth that eventually becomes independent of all artifical systems (assuming good Mediterranean plants).
Third, gardens that are watered deeply and infrequently have significantly less weed growth than those watered frequently.
Fourth, a monthly good foliar spray during the driest months will give you the "fresh" look you're after.
Fifth, I can't imagine a garden of truly "Mediterranean" plants surviving watering three times a week during summer.
Sixth, Simi Valley was HOT this summer. My fiance -- now wife -- lived in Simi Valley up until July of this year. She lives with me here in Pismo Beach now but I visited SV enough over the last many months to know that it's going to take some special plants -- and some special water system "training" -- to get your garden to a state of "no-water-summers". 

Joe

Joe Seals
Horticultural Consultant
Pismo Beach, California
Home/Office: 805-295-6039

--- On Sun, 10/4/09, Ben Wiswall <benwiswall@pacbell.net> wrote:

From: Ben Wiswall <benwiswall@pacbell.net>
Subject: Deep, infrequent watering
To: "medit plants forum" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2009, 11:35 PM

Hi all,
The conventional wisdom among waterwise gardeners is that deep, infrequent watering is the most efficient use of water, and that plants will grow deeper roots and become more drought-tolerant as a result. 
Is this true?
I water most sections of our garden once a week for about 30 minutes (in delayed intervals to avoid runoff). I look around, though, and see other gardens with mediterranean-climate plants that are watered 10 minutes three times a week, presumably using the same amount of water. I have to confess these gardens often look fresher than mine, especially now at the end of the dry season. 
Any thoughts?
-Ben Armentrout-Wiswall
Simi Valley, inland southern California

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