WATERING THE GARDEN

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On the other hand, adding sand to clayey soil is not supposed to help its texture—the clay allegedly "swallows" it up! As an old gardening maxim puts it, "Put clay in sand, money in the hand. Put sand in clay, throw money away." But when we finally tested this adage last summer by working about an inch of sharp creek sand into a few beds along with their compost allotment, the sand did make a noticeable improvement in both texture and drainage.

WHEN TO WATER

Early mornings and evenings are almost magical times in every garden. The low rays of the sun impart a certain aura to leaves and fruit that's lacking in the harsh light and heat of midday. And, as chance would have it, those are also the best times of day to water.

Here at the Eco-Village, we water our established beds a few hours before dusk, when the day's work is behind us and the tranquillity of early evening is descending. The soil, heated throughout the day, will warm the water as it percolates downward, making the liquid less chilling (and stressful) to the plants. Furthermore, watering in the early evening allows time for the foliage to dry before nightfall-preventing the sustained dampness that favors the spread of fungi and mildews. In addition, plants do much of their actual growing at night (employing the stored products of photosynthesis), so they can well use a late—day boost to their aqueous reserves. And evening is generally a time of reduced wind and cooler temperatures—so water added then will be less likely to evaporate (an important conservation consideration).

Of course, if you find that you spend most of your time in the garden during morning hours, you can water then instead. While doing so may not provide quite as many advantages as does early-evening watering, at least it avoids the hazards of adding water in the heat of the day (which can seriously stress plants) or at nightfall (which encourages disease). It also provides the earth with a deep, long drink early on that can help bring your plants through the coming hot afternoon.

Do remember one thing, though: It's never a good idea to work in your garden when the plants are wet (whether from rainfall or overhead watering). You can easily damage crops at such a time or—worse—spread disease. (Carrots, tomatoes, beans, and squash are especially vulnerable to hand-spread disease.)

HOW OFTEN AND HOW MUCH

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