Watering Crops in Dry Weather

Watering Crops in Dry Weather

May was a wet cool month as everyone probably remembers – excellent for planting out, digging, weeding and working with the ground – when we could find a short spell when it stopped raining long enough for us to work our plots. But, growth was a bit slow, waiting for some sunshine and heat.

In June we have definitely had that. Growth is rampant, especially with soft fruit of all types that the birds have left alone. I have had to be away quite a lot lately and find, on my return, that my soft fruit crops are way ahead of my picking and using ability. My sugar-snap peas are almost too mature and my summer brassicas – Romanesco and purple cauliflower have headed up but without the water they needed to provide good heads. Most of a bed of Little Gem lettuces have just gone beyond looking their most attractive though I might still be able to salvage some.

I still have some beetroot and winter brassicas in pots waiting to be planted out but, the ground is now too hard and unworkable to plant them. I might have to water the ground well in the beds to be able to plant them out - then water well over days to ensure they have established.

I have a large plot and a poly-tunnel and find that I really must restrict the amount of watering I do. We are not allowed hose-pipes on our allotments but must carry water from fixed points throughout the fields. This can be demanding and very physical work. As I have a poly-tunnel, growing crops which do require water, it is important that this is my first priority. I could choose to water directly onto the root areas of the plants and leave the rest of the ground dry. However, red spider-mites can be a problem. These determined little pests don’t like moisture so I choose to water all of the surface and the paths to discourage the mites which do come in to my tunnel and can move from plant to plant unless discouraged.

If I had lots of energy and unlimited supplies of water I would slosh loads of water around my summer brassicas as they are hearting up and around my peas and runner beans and French beans as they are putting on their flowers and developing pods.

I am watering recently transplanted seedlings and my courgettes, cucumbers and winter pumpkins. The courgettes are now setting, the cucumbers are developing and the winter pumpkins are just putting up their first female flowers – some of them look as though they need some extra water.

I’m not too worried about my runner beans. This year I have planted them around tepees rather than in rows. I have found that, as my plot is on a slight slope, as the season progresses and the plants become heavier, my rows of canes start to lean determinedly downhill. I have chosen to plant them in my no-dig area which has had a good mulch of manure each year for several years. In the last few years I have followed my now naturalised flower bulbs with winter pumpkins, squashes and courgettes. I thought, this year,  it would be a good idea to have a change of crop. Well manured and composted ground will definitely hold onto moisture much longer than ground which lacks humus.

Suggestions:

·        It is important also, to keep weeds off the planted beds as the weeds will compete with your crops for the available water. Although it would seem that the weed cover is keeping the moisture from evaporating, really, those weeds which are probably more at home on your ground than the crops you plant, will take the best nutrients and moisture. Hoeing is good in dry weather, if you can get the hoe through the ground. The decomposing weeds will be a mulch to help keep the moisture in. In wet weather, hoeing is not so useful as the weeds move over and re-root

·        Lots of humus in the soil helps to hold onto the moisture in dry weather. Add manure, either as a mulch in autumn or early spring and dig in well or, in a no-dig bed, add in the autumn and let the worms take the humus into the soil. I have, in the past [and will probably continue to do so, put lots of well rotted manure around my fruit bushes, trees, canes etc. in autumn and early spring to feed them and to act as a mulch. However, I have found that birds – crows, magpies, blackbirds, robins, pigeons, remove it looking for insects and scatter it everywhere but under my bushes.

·        Do think about the response of the plant you are watering to the water you are putting on it.

·        Do think about the amount of energy you expend and water used watering plants which may not need watering.

·        Remember that watering encourages leaf, stem and flower growth, for root crops this is not necessarily what you want.

Water is one of the essentials to make plants grow and most gardeners assume that keeping vegetables well watered will pay dividends. In fact, this is not always the case and excess water can result in rotting, leaching of nutrients, poor taste and poor keeping qualities, especially in onions and garlic.

All vegetables need water to start with, either from seed or when planted out. After this establishment phase is over, they usually grow very strongly and push roots wide and deep, 2 feet or more is common. This is usually early season when water is freely available in the soil and extra watering is totally unnecessary and can result in a weak root growth (with a poor subsequent performance) or the production of large amounts of something you don’t want – foliage on peas, for example. When the plant has grown, the onset of flower and seed formation, which is often the product you do want, means that the plant’s emphasis changes to the production of these and root formation stops. It is at this time that many plants need extra water and they respond very well if you apply it.

Watering technique is also important. Roots are usually deep and you need impractically large quantities of water to get enough down there. The only way to help the plant is to target the roots – light sprays over the foliage or wetting ground are useless. This targeting is assisted if you build in depressions in the soil around the plant (peas/beans) or bury a bottomless bottle next to the plant roots (tomatoes). Many will find the extra hassle of these measures not worth the effort [like me – I have 5 ridges of peas and three tepees of beans. I feel they must take their chances with the weather and, so far this policy has worked well]

See the table below for the optimum and necessary times for watering you crops:

Category 1  - Responds well to frequent watering

Category 2  - Water only at sensitive stages shown

Category 3 -  Not very responsive, water only as advised

 

Category 1 - Responds well to frequent watering

·        Aubergines, peppers and chillies – high maintenance plants which require lots of heat, moisture and food – water twice daily. [I wish! Mine are watered when it suits me, every day if possible though I do give them a good drenching when I do water].

·        Summer cabbage and calabrese – most efficient is one watering 2 weeks before cutting

·        Cauliflowers - most efficient is one watering 2 weeks before cutting.

·        Lettuces – throughout their life.

·        Courgettes and other curcurbits [cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, squash, gourds] – frequently once flowers and fruits form.

·        Spinach/ Swiss chard – frequently.

Category 2 - Water only at sensitive stages shown.

·        All beans – when flowering and throughout pod formation and development.

·        Peas - when flowering and throughout pod formation and development.

·        Potatoes – when flowers start to form and potatoes are the size of marbles – for many plot holders this can be a large area [ I never water my potatoes, whatever the weather].

·        Sweetcorn – at tassle and cob formation.

·        Tomatoes – when flowering and setting fruit, be careful to not over water as this will affect the flavour.

Category 3 - Not very responsive, water only as advised :

·        Beetroot – water before the soil gets too dry.

·        Broccoli [winter] – water well after transplanting to ensure the plants have established.

·        Brussels Sprouts - water well after transplanting to ensure the plants have established.

·        Carrots – before the soil gets too dry, just along the rows.

·        Curcurbits [ cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, courgettes, melons] – water well but slowly to allow the water to penetrate to the deep roots, perhaps once a week. Avoid water on the leaves to prevent disease. But frequently once the fruits form.

·        Garlic and onions – do not water in the later stages but, for spring onions water just along the rows.

·        Leeks – after transplanting to ensure they have established.

·        Parsnips – water just along the rows before the soil gets too dry.

·        Radishes – water just along the rows before the soil gets too dry.

August on the allotment

On the Allotment in August

Already I am thinking of the end of summer. Shops are advertising ‘Back to School’ sales for school uniform and essential equipment for children who have only just started their long awaited summer break. It seems so unfair and the summer is passing much too quickly, as it does every year.

Maintenance around the plot and in greenhouses or poly-tunnels –

- Keep the plot tidy - cut grass on paths regularly to prevent weeds and grass from encroaching on your plot and to reduce slugs and snails.

- Weeding – keep all beds, free from weeds. Hoeing is useful but take care to not damage young plants [hoeing is not very effective in wet weather as the hoed weeds will often re-root]. Pick up plant debris and compost or dispose of as rotting leaves will encourage pasts and allow diseases to develop.

- Keep fruit cages tidy and weeded – for particularly vulnerable bushes like redcurrants and gooseberries, ensure the cages are secure although do allow an escape hole for those intrepid birds which find a way in, in case of predators – cats and foxes will force a way in to catch trapped birds.

- Watch for pests like caterpillars, whitefly, aphids on developing brassica plants and beans, especially in dry weather. Snails and slugs will happily eat your plants, even in dry weather

- Water ‘thirsty’ plants in dry weather – curcurbits [courgettes, cucumbers, squash and pumpkin], brassicas like cauliflower and broccoli as the curds and sprouts are developing.

- Cut back perennial herbs like mint, sage, marjoram/ oregano to encourage a new flush of growth. Clumps of chives can now be divided. Keep a pot at the back door for easy harvesting [I find that my clump on the allotment is rarely harvested as it is a herb need instantly to enhance dishes rather than for pre-planning a trip to the allotment.

- Cut out the tops of climbing Runner and French beans to encourage the pods to develop within reach. Harvest regularly, even if you don’t want them, to ensure the plants continue to produce new pods [give them away if you have too many but, if necessary, compost the excess.]

- Check on developing squash and pumpkin plants and limit the number of fruits to 3 or 4 except on the varieties with very small fruits [ eg Baby Bear, Tiny Tim, which can successfully ripen more].

- Remove all spent raspberry canes and place in long-term composting facility or set aside for burning from November. Tie in new canes to protect from wind damage.

- Tidy spent strawberry beds.

- Prune blackcurrant bushes as soon as all fruit is harvested

In the Green house or polytunnel

- Keep green-houses and poly-tunnels well watered but ventilated to prevent botrytis [greymould].

If you plant green-house/ polytunnel crops straight into the ground, it is a good idea to aerate the ground around the plants occasionally [I use a fork] being careful to not disturb the roots of the plants. Over the season the watering can create a ‘glaze’ or hard crust on the surface of the soil, preventing water and feeding from penetrating the ground. In my opinion, it is better to water thoroughly every 2 - 3 days rather than a little every day which encourages shallow roots

-Pinch out the tops of tomato plants as the trusses start to set – allow only 5 – 6 per plant. Continue to remove side shoots as they develop [except on bush tomatoes]

- Remove the growing tips of aubergines to encourage branching. As fruit start to develop, some support may be needed.

- Watch for pests like, ants, red-spider-mite, aphids, caterpillars on tomatoes and deal with.

 Feed indoor plants regularly as fruits are developing – creating your own liquid feed is good using comfrey [my friend, Pete swears by the trimmings/ prunings off the tomato plants as being excellent food for tomatoes], Comfrey alone may be lacking in trace elements – eg magnesium. If you are using a bought-in fertiliser, a general NPK fertiliser may not be what you need as they are usually high in nitrogen which is excellent for leafy plants. You will need a fertiliser which is high in potassium for good flower and fruits growth but also has iron and magnesium for healthy plants.

·         Preparation and planning

- Dig over beds as soon as crops are harvested, to create a good workable tilth - ready for the next planting or in preparation for the autumn digging cycle [ I have found that I don’t have enough days when the weather and ground are suitable during the autumn for me to ensure all of the cleared beds are dug over so, starting as early as possible – even if they develop a weed harvest, is better than leaving them]. The difference between autumn digging and spring digging on my heavy clay soil is amazingly significant.

- From October onwards perennial plants you may wish to establish on your plot will be available from the major seed houses – rhubarb, asparagus, [ October / November for autumn planting varieties], fruit bushes and trees, [end of October to March – their dormant season], etc. Plan what you want to buy and where you want it to grow, remembering that perennial crops may be in situ for many years. Check on the needs of the plants and prepare the planting areas thoroughly. Think carefully about the varieties you wish to grow – will they suit your location, soil, etc.

- Start potting-up strawberry runners for establishing new strawberry beds. IN dry weather these plantlings, although hardy and still connected to the ‘mother’ plants, will need regular watering to establish well.

 Sowing and planting

-          Continue to sow salad crops – lettuce can be sown until the end of September, although with decreasing success as the season progresses. Cut-and-come-again crops are particularly useful in large tubs in the back-yard. Similarly rocket can be sown until the end of August. Radishes, of course are still an excellent crop, especially for the Winter varieties which will provide a harvest throughout the winter.

-          You can continue to sow appropriate varieties of carrots but cover with environmesh to deter carrot root fly [a real problem on allotments].

-          Cabbages – Spring cabbages can be sown [but do sow outdoors – keep the seedbeds well watered and free of slugs] until the end of August. Then plant into their permanent beds as soon as the plants are strong and have 6-8 true leaves. I have found it useful to plant a side of my poly-tunnel with these cabbages which will give me a harvest when there are few other vegetables available. My Favourite is Frostie F1 but, other growers have other varieties just as successful.

-          Sow a crop for late potatoes [specially developed for late cropping – see the selection of your favourite seed houses]. This is now a popular development of the potato crop – providing a harvest of ‘new’ potatoes for Christmas. It is important that you provide adequate frost protection as potatoes are very sensitive to cold weather. I have tried this once and all of my crop was hit by an early frost as the young plants were emerging. Although I didn’t get a Christmas crop, the plants did produce an excellent crop the following spring.

·         Harvesting – the best part of growing!

-          Finish harvesting Second-Early potatoes and Early-Main-crop potatoes should be well developed. Some main-crop potatoes may also be ready as the top growth yellows and starts to die back. Allow the tubers to dry overground [if possible – don’t leave them long enough to become green as this green potatoes are toxic] before bagging up and storing. Store in hessian or paper sacks in a cool, dark, dry environment.

-          Globe artichokes are still harvesting. If you have lots of them and are tired of eating a heavy harvest, try freezing the hearts.[This is the first year I have tried to do this and will get back on the success of this procedure].

-          Beans – broad beans are coming to the end of their harvest. The bean waxy skins become quite unpleasant as the season progresses and it is necessary to peel the separate beans. Many people find this not worth the trouble but, if time is taken, they still make and tasty and nutritious vegetable. French beans and Runner beans are now into their stride and for me at least, are providing far too many beans. I am hoping to share with neighbours and friends though, I suspect, I will still have far too many. This year I have grown five different varieties [I’m always afraid I won’t have enough!]. Two of the varieties I’ve planted are for drying for winter use but, the other 3 varieties are being much too prolific.

-          Onions, shallots and garlic will now finish their growth – look out for yellowing leaves and some withering. In onions, the leaves will fold over. Lift them and set them on the ground, in dry weather or on a rack, to allow them to dry out before storing in a cool dry place. Similarly for garlic. Ensure the plants have dried thoroughly before storing.

-          Soft fruit – most soft fruit - redcurrants, blackcurrants, white currants and gooseberries are coming to an end of their useful harvesting period, depending on the variety.

-          Some varieties of plum, pear and apple are now ready for harvesting.