Proper Watering For
Optimum Plant Growth
Proper watering of home land
scape and garden plants is one of
the most misunderstood aspects of
gardening for the average home
owner. It is important to realize
that you can over-water and cause
as much damage as under
watering. If plants are water
stressed from either excess or defi
ciency their quality decreases. In a
vegetable garden, this can reduce
the potential harvest.
The pore spaces in a soil are
either filled with water or air. Oxy
gen in the soil is necessary for
plant roots to survive. Watering
too often or too much forces the air
from the pore spaces and the root
system dies. Plant parts above
ground then exhibit stress symp
toms such as wilting, yellowing,
and drying foliage from the lack of
water entering the plant.
Too little water, on the other
hand, does not allow the roots to
replace water that has been lost
through transpiration from the
foliage. The roots may dry up and
die, and the top growth begins to
show similar symptoms as caused
by over-watering.
According to Betty Styer, Ches
ter County Extension Horticultur
ist, it is much easier to over-water
heavy clay soil than light-textured
sandy soil. Light sandy soils tend
to dry out quickly and are frequent
ly not watered enough to maintain
the plants.
Light soils do allow for deeper
and faster penetration of the water
but also dry out faster. Heavy soils
are slower to allow water penetra
tion but also dry out much more
slowly.
Gardeners frequently ask how
often a garden or landscape needs
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to be watered. Unfortunately there
is no specific answer because each
instance will be different. The type
of soil, exposure, amount of rain
fall, organic content of the soil, and
the plants themselves all play a
part in the amount of available
water in the soil. A good rule-of
thumb to follow in watering plants
is to fill the entire root zone with
water, and then allow the soil to
dry out partially before the next
water application.
Large trees and established
shrub beds can be allowed to dry
several inches down in the soil
before rewatering. A small or new
ly established plant or those with
very shallow root systems will
need watering before very much
soil drying occurs. A layer of loose
mulch over the soil surface will be
very helpful in these instances with
shallow roots. Gardeners should
become familiar with the charac
teristics of the plants and soils on
their property so they can provide
optimum growing conditions.
In many regions and communi
ties water conservation is becom
ing an important issue. The wise
use of water will help save this
important natural resource. Water
only when the soil is dry, and apply
the water slow enough to allow for
adequate penetration. As soon as
run-off is observed stop watering
or reduce the flow of water to the
area.
Mulches over the soil surlace
will also reduce the amount of soil
moisture lost through evaporation
into the air. It will maintain a cool
er soil temperature and prevent
erosion from rainfall or irrigation
water.
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Pillow Talk
MEDIA - If you’re
buying new bed pillows,
there are certain tips
you’ll want to keep in
mind. Pillows are
available in a wide
range of fillings and
sizes so you should
consider how you want
to sleep and what size
bed you have.
There is no perfect
bed pillow for everyone,
notes Maryetta
Dorricott, Delaware
County Cooperative
Extension Home
Economist. A pillow
that will give you many
years of comfortable
sleep may keep
someone else tossing
and turning. Ideally,
everyone should select
his own pillow, but if
you’re buying pillows
for your family, you
should check with them
to find out their
preferences.
Before you buy a
pillow, you should test
it. Pick it up and feel it
with your hand to see if
it is comfortable. If
you’re buying a pillow
for someone else, ask
the salesperson if it is
soft, medium or firm. A
■good pillow should be
resilient and free of
lumps and odors,
regardless of its filling.
Check the label on the
pillow to see what filling
it contains.
The softest and most
luxurious pillows are
filled entirely with
down, the soft shaftless
fluffs from the breasts
of geese and ducks. For
people who prefer their
pillows firmer, select a
pillow filled with a blend
of down and feathers.
The more feathers in the
blend, the firmer the
pillow.
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