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  Be careful not to overwater your pile. It's easy to do. The water seeps in and tends not to evaporate readily, so people think the pile is dry when it's not.

  If there's a long dry spell or if you live in a dry-summer area, water the entire pile to keep it lightly moist.

  Make a depression in the top of the pile to collect rainfall.

  You also must turn the pile periodically to aerate it, prevent it from overheating, and ensure that all the material decomposes uniformly. You can turn your compost pile by forking the material from the outside of the pile to the center or by moving the pile from one area to another. If you made a pile out of wire fencing, simply unhook the ends, pull the fencing apart, and move the cylinder a few feet away from the pile. Then fork the materials from the pile into the empty wire cylinder.

  How often you turn the pile and how quickly the compost is done depend on how quickly decay takes place. For example, green, succulent organic material — like fresh grass clippings — decays faster than dried plant material; cool fall temperatures or a spell of rainy days that turn the pile soggy slow things down. Follow these guidelines for deciding when to turn your pile:

  If you added only shredded material, the pile may be ready for turning in a week.

  If the pile contains a lot of big pieces of organic material, wait several weeks before turning.

  If the pile heats up and then cools, turn it.

  Turning the pile two to three times throughout the process is plenty.

  You can tell that decay has set in if your pile starts to smell bad. If smells occur, hold your nose and fix things by spreading out the pile and reconstructing it.

  Your compost is ready for use when the interior of the pile is no longer hot and all the material in the pile has broken down into a uniform, dark crumbly substance; this process takes about 1 to 2 months. To determine whether the pile is no longer hot, feel the interior of the pile with your hand. If you're squeamish, use a compost thermometer (which is available at garden centers).

  Chapter 15: Maintaining Your Vegetable Garden

  In This Chapter

  Watering your plants

  Mulching your vegetable garden

  Understanding necessary soil nutrients

  Feeding your vegetables

  Staking and trellising plants

  Controlling weeds

  After planting your garden, you need to keep your vegetables growing vigorously until harvest. Maintaining your vegetable garden is similar to running a long-distance road race. After you're off and running, the key is to pace yourself for the whole race and not burn out in the beginning. Gardeners face a similar situation. You not only have to have lots of enthusiasm to prepare the soil and plant, but you also have to be consistent about checking plants, watering, weeding, fertilizing, and harvesting (among other tasks) to get the best results. If you lose interest in your garden halfway through the growing season, your harvest may be small or poor. Don't worry though; your garden won't require all your time — just some of it each week.

  In this chapter, I tell you everything you need to know to keep your vegetables happy — including keeping your soil moist and fertile, adding mulch, supporting your plants, and keeping weeds at bay.

  Introducing Your Inner Gardener to the Watering Basics

  Even though Mother Nature is often very generous with rain, she still sometimes leaves gardens with a dry spell. Flooding isn't good for your garden, but neither is drought. If your plants don't have adequate water at the right times, they can easily die.

  Different crops have different water needs. Some vegetables, like celery, are real water lovers and prefer to have moist soil around their roots at all times. Shallow-rooted crops (like onions and cabbage) need more careful watering during dry spells than deeper-rooted crops (like tomatoes) that can pull water from greater depths. Part II provides specific watering information for all the different vegetables.

  You also need to keep in mind a plant's growth stage when watering. Here are some general watering guidelines for different growth stages:

  Seedlings and germinating seeds: Seedlings with small root systems near the soil surface and germinating seeds benefit from frequent, gentle watering, which enables them to sprout and emerge quickly. Water once a day to a few inches deep if it doesn't rain. (Chapter 13 has more details on seedlings and transplants.)

  Transplants: Water transplants when they're first planted in the garden and then every few days after that to 6 inches deep or so. Watering frequently helps the roots recover from transplant shock.

  Established plants: Plants that have been in your garden for a few weeks and that are beyond transplant shock need to be watered deeply. Try to wet the soil at least 6 inches deep. Watering to this depth encourages roots to penetrate deeply, where they're less susceptible to drought. Give the soil a chance to dry out slightly (3 to 6 days if it doesn't rain) before watering thoroughly again.

  When I tell you to water to a certain number of inches, don't feel like you have to guess when you've hit the mark; you can dig into the soil with a trowel to see how far the water has penetrated.

  In the following sections, I explain when to quench your veggies' thirst and provide information on different watering methods. I also give you tips on how to conserve water.

  Knowing when your veggies need a drink

  In general, most vegetables use about 1 inch of water per week (1 to 2 inches in hot, windy, dry climates). If you don't get water from rainfall, you have to supply it. Here are some general guidelines for determining when your plants need water:

  Your finger is the best indicator of when the soil has dried sufficiently to rewater. Dig down several inches into the soil; if the soil is dry to your touch 3 to 4 inches down, it's time to water.

  Wilting plants can be a sign that your soil needs water. Wilting is when the leaves or stems of a plant droop, bend over, and look limp. These symptoms, however, can be misleading at times. Some plants, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, tend to droop slightly during the heat of the day, even if the soil has enough moisture. If your plants don't stand tall and proud and the soil feels dry, add water and watch them perk up fast.

  Overwatering also causes plants to wilt, so check the soil before watering. If the soil is waterlogged, roots die from lack of air. With fewer roots, plants can no longer take up the water they need from the soil, and so they wilt. Damage from insects and disease also cause wilting.

  Each vegetable has a critical period when you need to be especially careful about watering. If you slack off during these times, your crop may be ruined. Table 15-1 shows the important watering periods for different types of vegetables.

  Discovering ways to water your vegetable garden

  You can water your vegetable garden several different ways. This section discusses some of the basic techniques, from the simplest — furrows — to the most complicated — drip irrigation systems.

  You can measure water flow by attaching an inexpensive flowmeter (available at hardware and garden supply stores) to your outdoor spigot. To figure out the flow rate at the spigot, turn off all the spigots and read your water meter. Then turn on the spigot serving the hose line for 1 minute. Reread the meter to find out how much water flows through the hose in 1 minute. You need about 60 gallons per 100 square feet of garden to get 1 inch of water.

  Furrows

  Furrows are shallow trenches between raised beds that channel water to plant roots. This watering method is based on an old farmer technique of planting on narrow raised mounds or beds and then using furrows to water. The beds can be 1 to 3 feet apart — the wider apart they are, however, the more water you need to add. You can use a hoe to dig a furrow at planting time and then plant the seeds or transplants on top of the raised beds, in between the furrows.

  When you're ready to water, fill the furrows completely with water and then wait a while, or fill them more than once so the water penetrates down as well as sideways into the raised soil. Poke around with you
r finger to make sure the water has penetrated the bed.

  Furrows work best on level or slightly sloping ground; otherwise, the water moves too fast down the furrows without sinking in. This watering technique traditionally has been used in arid areas with clay soil, such as the Southwest, where little natural rain falls during the growing season and streams or ground water can be used in the garden. Furrows don't work well in sandy soil because the water soaks in before it can reach the end of the furrow.

  Furrows aren't the most efficient way to water. Here are a few reasons:

  It takes time for the water to run from one end of a mound or bed to the other.

  The beginning of a row always gets more water than the end.

  You have to move your hose around a lot to fill each furrow.

  Water is wasted through evaporation as it's sitting in the furrow.

  Basins

  A basin is a donutlike depression around a vegetable plant that you fill with water — almost like a circular furrow. You make a basin in a 2-foot-diameter circle around the plant. Plastic basins that fit underneath plants such as tomatoes and eggplants are sold commercially. These basins concentrate the water around the roots of the plant.

  Homemade basins work particularly well for watering sprawling plants like melons and squash early in the season. After the plants mature, however, their roots grow out of the diameter of the basin, and the method is no longer effective.

  Hoses

  Watering with a hose is probably the most common way that gardeners water. It's simple, and some might say therapeutic. Who hasn't seen a gardener after a long day at work come home and take some time to hose down the garden with a cup of coffee or drink in hand?

  However, watering with a hose isn't the ideal watering system and probably is best for watering containers; for watering individual, large plants such as tomatoes; and when used in conjunction with the basin method (explained in the preceding section). In these situations, you can be sure that you're applying the right amount of water to your plants.

  Unless you check the amount of water you're applying by digging the soil after watering, you may not water your garden evenly with a hose. Some areas may have lots of water, whereas other areas may just have water on the surface. Also, like overhead sprinklers (described in the next section), using a hose is a more wasteful way of watering because much of the water falls in pathways or on the lawn around your garden.

  The best way to water your vegetable garden with a hose is to leave the hose running at a trickle in a basin near each plant until the water has soaked down at least 6 inches deep.

  Sprinklers

  A sprinkler, shown in Figure 15-1, is effective for watering vegetables planted in sandy soil that absorbs water quickly. It's also an effective way to water a large garden when you're pressed for time. Just set up the sprinkler, and based on the amount of time it takes to water to 6 inches deep (see the earlier section "Knowing when your veggies need a drink"), you can set a timer and go about other business. However, if you have heavy clay soil that absorbs water slowly or if your garden is on a slope, the water may run off and not sink into the soil where the plants need it. Instead, it's best to use drip irrigation (see the next section) so the water soaks into the ground.

  Figure 15-1: Watering with a sprinkler.

  For vegetable gardens, portable-type sprinklers (versus in-ground permanent sprinklers used in lawns) are best. You can move them around in your garden to cover a certain area or the whole garden. Some sprinklers throw water back and forth, whereas others send it in a circular direction. Choose the type that best suits your garden design.

  Constantly wetting the foliage of vegetable plants can encourage disease problems. So when you use a sprinkler, water in the morning so the foliage can dry before nightfall and so you lose less water to evaporation.

  As taller plants such as corn and tomatoes grow, sprinklers tend to be less effective because the water hits the foliage, damaging it and not thoroughly watering the rest of the garden. Some gardeners use watering towers that have an overhead sprinkler attached to the top. You position the sprinkler a few feet above the plants, hook it up to a hose, and sprinkle the garden. However, even these sprinklers prove to be less effective when plants reach above 4 to 5 feet tall. For these taller plants, it's best to choose one of the other watering methods described in this chapter.

  Soaker-hose irrigation

  A soaker-hose irrigation system consists of a rubber hose perforated with tiny pores that leak water, as shown in Figure 15-2. You can lay the hose between rows or curve it around plants, similar to how you use a drip irrigation system (described in the following section). Water leaks out of the hose and onto the soil, leaving your plant foliage dry and reducing evaporation.

  Figure 15-2: Watering with a soaker hose.

  Using a soaker-hose system is easier than using a drip irrigation system because it involves fewer parts and no nozzles. Its primary limitation is that it works best on flat terrain, often delivering water unevenly on sloped or bumpy gardens. It also may clog over time and not deliver water evenly along the hose.

  Drip irrigation

  A drip irrigation system provides water slowly through holes, or emitters, in flexible plastic pipes. Many different drip irrigation systems are available; they can consist of a single pipe with flexible lines running off it, or a series of pipes. You weave these pipes — which are connected to a water supply, a filter, and often a pressure regulator — along rows of plants so the water flows directly to the roots of your vegetables, as shown in Figure 15-3.

  Figure 15-3: Watering with drip irrigation.

  This watering technique is the most effective and efficient way to water vegetables because water drips right to the roots of the plants and little water is wasted on pathways, in between plants, and in between rows. Drip irrigation works well even if your garden is on a slope, which poses problems for most other systems.

  The downside to drip irrigation is that it's more costly than the other methods listed in this chapter; it's also more involved to set up and take down at the end of the season. Drip irrigation is best for those gardeners who are into technology, who don't have lots of time to water, and who live in water-restricted areas.

  You can wet an entire bed from one end to the other at each watering with drip emitters. You snap the emitters in the pipes wherever you want them, or you can buy a pipe with emitters already evenly spaced along the length of the pipe. The moisture radiates sideways underground and wets the soil between emitters.

  As an alternative to emitters, you may want to use microsprinklers, which are tiny sprinklers that hook to plastic pipes like drip emitters. They're usually supported by 12- to 24-inch stakes and cover various-sized areas of soil with a fine spray of water. They're particularly useful for watering closely spaced vegetables like lettuce and root crops, or for watering germinating seeds.

  Most nurseries sell drip irrigation systems, but you also can purchase them through the mail (see the appendix for details). Emitters and microsprinklers are available with different application rates, varying by the number of gallons applied per hour. Pressure-compensating emitters apply water consistently from one end of the line to the other, regardless of pressure changes due to uneven ground.

  Follow these steps to set up a drip irrigation system in your garden:

  1. Lay the pipe (or pipes — depending on the system) on top of the soil and cover the pipe with plastic mulch, or bury the pipe a few inches below the surface of the soil.

  Most people like to keep the pipe close to the surface so they can check it for clogs and fix breaks.

  2. If your pipe doesn't already have emitters in it, snap emitters in the pipe wherever you want them.

  Position the emitters so they're close to the bases of your plants.

  3. Run the drip system for at least several hours a day (2 to 4 hours).

  Watch the system carefully the first few times that you water. Dig around in your garden to s
ee how far the water travels over a given time period, and then adjust your watering schedule in the future.

  If you live in an area where the soil freezes, don't leave your drip irrigation system or soaker hoses outside in the winter because they may burst. Instead, drain the water out, roll up the tubing, and store it in your garage.

  Conserving water with a few handy tips

  In many areas of the country, restrictions limit the amount of water you can use to grow your plants. If you're in one of these areas, it's especially important that you water smartly (though watering efficiently should be everyone's goal!). Sensible watering will save this precious resource and save you money.

  Keep these water-saving pointers in mind when tending to your crops:

  Grow plants that perform better under low water conditions. Some drought-resistant food crops you might try include herbs and hot peppers.

  Plant veggies closer together. Doing so allows you to conserve soil moisture and shade the ground, keeping it cool and moist.

  Consider the time of day that you water, especially if you use a sprinkler. You lose less water to evaporation (an important consideration in hot, dry climates) if sprinklers operate in the cool of the morning rather than during the heat of the afternoon. Watering in the morning also gives leaves a chance to dry off before evening; wet foliage is an ideal fungus-growing medium.

  Frequent, shallow waterings do more harm than good. They cause roots to develop mainly in the upper few inches of the soil, where they're susceptible to drying out. Instead, go for occasional, deep waterings. Deep waterings allow moisture to penetrate deeply into the soil. The roots will follow the water, and the plant will be deep rooted and less likely to be effected by dry conditions. You'll water less frequently; maybe deeply once per week.

  If your garden has heavy clay soil or is on a slope, and you find that water begins to run off before it penetrates 6 inches deep in the soil, try watering at intervals. Water for 10 to 15 minutes, let the water soak in for 15 to 20 minutes, and then water again.