Your Guide to Watering Your Vegetables!

Posted:5 June 2011

As were all too aware here in the south-east, water is in really short supply and hosepipe bans almost inevitable. To be effective, its important to water your vegetables when they need it most so we thought a guide to which vegetables need water and when, would be most useful!

Legumes:

Broad beans and peas need lots of water at flowering time in order for pods to set, and again two weeks after flowering begins. As young plants, avoid too much water as this can encourage leafy growth and reduce the yield. Runner beans need constant moisture for pods to set, whereas French beans are less sensitive to some dryness.

Stem vegetables:

Celery, celeriac and Florence fennel need water during growth. Periods of drought stress are very damaging and should be avoided – it can lead to bolting or poor quality crops.

Curcubits:

Courgettes need constant moisture all the way through to harvest. Marrows, pumpkin and winter squash benefit from watering but, in practice, often produce fair fruits from minimal watering. Trailing types need less water as their spreading habit conserves moisture and the stems root where they touch the ground.

Fruiting crops:

Aubergines, sweet corn and tomatoes all need watering well to aid establishment and also at throughout the flowering and fruiting period.

Leafy crops:

Cabbages, chards, lettuce and all salad crops need water at every stage of growth. If water is especially short, make sure that you soak the ground around cabbages and lettuces when hearts begin to form.

Root crops:

Carrots, beetroot and parsnips require watering before the soil becomes dry, for example, if there are 14 days without rain.

Onions, shallots and leeks need only to be watered when they are establishing, and in very dry spells.

Potatoes benefit from being watered every 10-14 days once the tubers are marble-size (more often if growing in potato-bags).

Radishes need to be watered every week in dry spells.

So, remember by really focussing on your plants individual watering needs, you will save time and save water!