By: LaDonna Weiler
This and Above: Soaker hoses laid at the base of your plants direct water just where they need it.

A rain barrel collects storm water runoff from your roof and saves it for the plants.
Oh, those long, hot, humid days of summer—better known as the “dog days”—seem to have been upon us since early spring this year. With the drying heat firmly footed in our gardens, it is most important to remember to water plants during times like these.
Like our bodies, plants are made up of about 60 to 65 percent water. So, just as it is vital to replenish our bodies with water during the hot, humid weather, we also need to remember to water our gardens and plants.
But it’s not just a matter of dumping some water on those poor parched plants whenever we think of it. Most plants need about one inch of water per week, and they need to get it through a long, slow watering process, which allows the water to soak into the soil rather than run off the hard-packed dirt. By watering slowly and deeply, you’ll save yourself some time in the long run, as plants need less frequent watering this way.
There are a couple of tools to consider here. Timers attached to your sprinkler systems can do the remembering for you, and soaker hoses can use up to 70 percent less water than sprinklers and hose nozzles. Unlike traditional hoses, which are watertight to the end, soaker hoses weep droplets of water out along the entire length of the hose, providing plants with a constant drip.
The water is distributed evenly along the length of the hose, but nowhere else—therefore you’re watering the plants but not the weeds. And by applying the water directly to the base of the plant, less of it evaporates into the air off the leaves that get sprayed with sprinklers and spray nozzles.
If the water conservation aspect of the soaker hoses appeals to you, consider also using a rain barrel to collect water from the roof by channeling it through the downspouts to a retention barrel

outfitted with a spigot. Rain barrels can also help to decrease pollution by decreasing stormwater run-off.
Using water-saving gels dug in near the root zones of your plants is another way to try to fight off the mid-summer heat. The gels come in the form of small, dry granules that absorb water like a sponge, turning them into a gel. They then release the water back into the soil slowly as the earth dries out, saving you from getting out the watering can every day.
Gardeners should also think about what time they’re watering—choose the wrong time, and you’ll be fighting problems like mildew and fungi. Water at the height of the day’s heat and you can fry the leaves of the plant as the sun’s intensity dries the water off them. Both problems can be avoided by watering early in the day or late in the afternoon, being sure to leave enough time for the water to dry from the leaves before the sun dips low in the horizon.
And after you’re finished, be sure to head in for a cool drink for yourself. You’ve earned it. •
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LaDonna Weiler can be found watering her garden in McAlevy’s Fort. She uses a combination of a rain barrel and soaker hoses for her plants before heading in for a vodka tonic for herself.