Topic: Collating Tips on Moisture Retention

[BAK]

BarbaraGood's "really daft novice question" on watering and the current dry spell (where are those April showers when you need them?) made me think that it would be useful to collate people's ideas on:

(a) how to retain moisture as much as possible;

(b) those crops that need little watering even in dry spells;

and (c) crops that need lots of water.

To start the ball rolling ...

I have found that covering those beds where crops will be directly sown with white fleece while the ground is still moist helps to reduce the effects of drying winds and of the sun at this time of year. Retaining moisture in the top couple of inches through this method helps germination.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Mulching helps retain water; a couple of inches of grass cuttings or dead leaves make the world of difference.

[allaboutliverpool]

See my mulching done today with comments on :-

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_garlic.html

I agree with Robert.

[simon404]

1. When winter digging always dig in manure, compost, leaf mould, whatever you can get your hands on! I know it sounds obvious and the advice is thousands of years old but it's surprising how many people think they can get away without it (myself included in the past!)
2. Patience. Don't struggle trying to break down clods of dry soil, wait for the rain, it always comes eventually and the clods will crumble when hit with the back of a fork. You might be a week or two behind but your back and the soil will thank you for waiting.
3. Only put a mulch on when the soil is wet.

[BAK]

I agree with Simon's comment about the value of organic matter, viz. manure, leafmould, compost, etc, helping to retain moisture. It may be an old tip but they are often the best.

Another frequently ignored old tip for later on when the need for watering has really kicked in is to sink pots (or inverted water bottles with the bases cut off) into the soil. Watering into the pots avoids run-off and lessens evaporation. I particularly use this technique for fruiting veg, eg tomatoes.

[bennettsleg]

I agree with BAK and have done the same.  The bean trench in particular will be suffering from a high tower of bottles all slotted together vertically to make a bigger self-watering reservoir.

It's also worth considering putting water retaining matter at the bottom of a trench or as pert of your digging method (if you're doing the dig method!) - shredded newspaper, fleece/hair, manure etc, not only feeds the plants but I hear they tend to hold moisture, too.