Summer Watering in Coastal Mediterranean Climates
Careful attention to proper watering is important during the heat of summer in Southern California’s areas of coastal influence and other similar coastal Mediterranean climates; most vegetables, especially those in containers, need close attention and more-frequent watering. Here are eight tips for watering your garden in August:
- Monitor vegetable plants daily during heat waves to avoid unexpected losses. Spot water by hand to meet the full range of plant needs in your garden, from young transplants to mature vegetables.
- Most vegetables perform best in soil that remains dry at the surface, and moist-but-not-wet belowground.
- In healthy soil during warm-to-hot weather, established vegetables in the ground may go a few days to a week or longer with little or no watering. Water as infrequently as possible while avoiding any wilting, and to full estimated depth of plant roots, such as with a slow hose trickle for 15 to 30 minutes or longer for large plants.
- Overwatering, watering with sprinklers, or routinely wetting foliage may significantly increase pest and disease problems; wetting foliage particularly may encourage mildew and fungal diseases in your zone.
- Watch for earliest signs of wilting in sensitive plants to signal watering intervals for the entire garden.
- Spray or rinse foliage gently once every 2 to 3 weeks to remove dust and airborne pollutants.
- Once plants begin to bolt, most need less water to set seeds; water bolted plants for saving seeds only upon early signs of wilting.
- Squash and other vegetables may transpire during hot times of day faster than they can take water up through their roots; avoid overwatering if you know the area is well watered; plants with sufficient soil water should recover turgor overnight; if any plants are still wilted by morning, increase watering or investigate irrigation issues.
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Other articles of interest:
The GardenZeus Guide to Watering Tomatoes
The GardenZeus Guide to Watering Cucumbers, Melons and Squash (Cucurbits)