It's finally summer, it's warm and the vegetable garden, although largely mulched, is beginning to need some watering. But how to water effectively to harvest great vegetables without it becoming a real chore? Here are our tips and some principles to follow on this subject.

One hoeing is worth two waterings, mulching is worth ten, provided you water properly!

It's never too late to mulch! Right now, you can use grass cuttings. The grass dries in place in no time, allowing you to spread it in slightly thicker layers without risking fermentation.
 
But before spreading this mulch, remember to:
 
  • hoe to break any soil crust, common in clay or silty soils,
  • give a thorough watering, up to the point of saturation.
 
Indeed, mulching retains moisture, that's undeniable, but the moisture must be present to start with and able to reach the plants' root system.
 
watering vegetable garden in summer

Mulched crops: less frequent waterings, but more abundant

If you've been following our advice since spring, thank you and well done!
 
However, be aware that, yes, mulches reduce how often you need to water but don't exempt you entirely, especially in very hot weather. During short or light showers, the rain merely wets the mulch and doesn't infiltrate the soil. Everything suggests the garden has been watered when it hasn't—or only very superficially.
 
To water properly, I therefore recommend:
 
  • watering copiously, ideally with a watering can to control the amount of water applied,
  • watering early in the morning or late in the evening,
  • checking that water has reached the plants' root system.

Finally, if possible, arrange to collect rainwater: it's always at the right temperature and, above all, free, which encourages more efficient watering.

Finally, discover all our advice in our complete factsheet to find out when and how to water the garden!

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