We are beginning a major heatwave here in Guerneville this week and I am spending lots of time to make sure that everything is getting watered.
With regard to watering:
1. I do not have a drip irrigation system, so I am still watering by hand.
2. I have been very concerned about chlorine and other chemicals in my water. I purchased six, 5 gallon buckets that I fill daily with water using my hose. The chlorine evaporates overnight and I water in the morning by pouring the water from the buckets into watering cans. It is hard work, but I am trying to minimize the amount of chlorine that goes into my soil. I tell people that I can smell the chlorine in my Sweetwater Springs Springs Water District water. The District is really overdoing the chlorine.
3. I still use the water directly from the hose on perennials, but I am trying to cut down on that.
4. No overhead watering in the veggie garden.
5. Consistent daily watering, I have come to believe, will help solve my blossom end rot problem (BER) on my San Marzano tomatoes. The BER can also be caused by a lack of calcium in the soil and I took steps this year to make sure there is plenty of calcium in my soil.
6. Mulch, mulch, mulch, mulch, and mulch some more to conserve water.
7. If you are not seeing worms in the several inches of your soil means that you are not mulching enough and your soil is too dry.
8. I am using gray water from my house to water my plants in pots and perennials in the ground.
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