Do vegetables need irrigation?

If you love hand-watering with a hose every day and your veggie garden isn't too big then you may not need irrigation. However most people, despite best intentions, don't get to watering their garden every day. This is where an irrigation system comes in. You can even add a timer to the tap so you don't need to do anything!

What sort of irrigation system should I use?

The best type of irrigation depends upon the crops you are growing. Germinating seed requires an even spray of water so sprinklers work best. However, vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and pumpkins prefer not to have constantly wet leaves so drip irrigation can be good here. Just bear in mind that you may need to hand water new seedlings until their root systems are established enough to reach the water from the drippers. Drip irrigation works best in loam or clay soil as the water spreads out evenly from the drippers, rather than travelling straight down into the subsoil as it can in sandy soil. Some people even install both drip and sprinkler systems in their veggie beds and use each according to the needs of the crop they are planting. 

Still to come

Next time I will talk about how to grow beans. 

This week's recipe links

Vietnamese-Inspired Sugar Snap Peas Stir-Fry from Nom Nom Paleo.

Harissa & Spinach Shakshuka from Love & Lemons.

Wholesome Cinnamon Breakfast Muffins from Recipe Tin Eats. 

Cauliflower Steaks with Caramelised Shallots from Rainbow Plant Life.

More info

To read more about what's happening on our local organic farm this week as we grow and care for veggies for our box delivery, check out this week's newsletter here.