WATERING THE GARDEN

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What about droopy leaves? Won't they tell you that you need to water? Well, not necessarily . Plants often wilt some on a hot summer day as a way of shutting down their systems to conserve moisture. If you water at that time, you can shock the flowers and vegetables and cause more harm than good. (In fact, if you overhead-water on such occasions, the plants may actually lose moisture; the leaves will give up internal liquid to try to balance the perceived atmospheric humidity.)

Instead, look for signs of wilting during morning and evening hours. If the leaves are drooping then, it's almost a sure sign that your plants need water—and fast! (One exception: Plants can also wilt if their roots are so wet that they're flooded. A quick trowel-in-the-dirt will determine the true cause if you have any doubts.) Remember, though, that some waxy-leaved plants, such as cabbage, onions, and garlic, don't show water stress as clearly as others. On the other hand, peas, celery, spinach, and lettuce are very suscep tible to drought conditions and will let you know in no uncertain terms!

TOOLS

A quality garden hose is the heart of any watering system. A hose that will resist its inborn urge to kink and cut off flow is all but priceless. So don't skimp on this purchase—you'll never regret it. Standard diameters are 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4". The larger the diameter, of course, the greater the flow. (By the way, if you garden with raised beds, you can set rebar posts—with bamboo or PVC collars—at the corners of your growing areas . . . and the posts will conveniently steer your hose around the beds!)

A watering wand is a hose attachment that consists of along tube with a rose nozzle at the end. It's kind to your back, allowing you to stand upright while gently but thoroughly soaking the soil at ground level. The wand is just the thing for ground-watering melons, squashes, tomatoes, and other plants susceptible to leaf molds and fungi. It's also an efficient water user, since it places the liquid right where you want it; rather than spraying it all through the air and garden.

There are other common hose attachments for hand-held watering, including the fire-man-type nozzle; the spray gun, and fan sprayers. All of these can be useful, but you do have to stand there and hold them . . . which takes time and increases the likelihood that you may skimp on watering. To make your operation a bit more automated, use a rotary or oscillating sprinkler. (The latter is generally easier to use, since most of us lay out our gardens in rectangular-not circular - patterns.) Sprinklers won't apply water entirely evenly, however, and they need to be moved periodically to prevent spot-flooding and runoff problems. (You can buy automatic timers to shut them off after specified periods.) A good source for sprinklers and other hose attachments is Smith & Hawken, 25 Corte Madera, Mill Valley, CA 94941.

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