Water Reflections

Am I the only one who...

...likes to water barefoot?
The first time it happened by accident. I got so mesmerized by the beauty of the first Asiatic hybrid lily bloom (they almost seem more fauna than flora with their fleshy petals) that I accidentally watered my feet. I took my soggy shoes off and finished the job in bare feet. What a delight! Now I sometimes do my watering barefoot on purpose. And if some water should happen to dribble over my toes, all the better.

...plays favorites when watering?
I'm stingy with the plants that have already laid claim to quite enough territory, thank you very much, and more liberal with those I'm encouraging to expand. As a result, I haven't watered the liriope all summer (it remains fresh and green), and the bushy salvia in the side bed (always poised to elbow out its neighbors at the slightest opportunity) gets the bare minimum. Yet the terra-cotta-potted rosularia never fails to receive its due, and the hypoestes in the rose garden is always fully satisfied.

...waters the mulch?
In my first watering pass for each garden, I cover every square inch, including the unplanted areas of mulch. I realize that the only living things I could possibly be watering are weeds below the surface, but it just looks nicer that way. I love the deep dark color of wet mulch as a backdrop for all the plants and flowers. At this point my overall garden real estate is fairly small, so I don't feel guilty about using the extra water.

...still uses a watering can for everything?
This might best be chalked up to rookie exuberance, but I love the process. Give me a few years and I'll probably be relying on soakers, hoses and/or sprinklers. While my garden areas remain small, though, I'll stick to this radical technique. Yes, it's less efficient. Sure, it takes a lot longer. But it makes my "playing favorites" strategy (as noted above) possible, and I like to think that in some way I'm preserving a lost art.

Just wondering....

Comments

[Bev]

Beth, I'm glad to know that someone else sprinkles the mulch around plants because they like the look. I use red cedar and it always smells and looks so nice when wet. Actually, it does have a good purpose too because it keeps the surrounding plants cooler on a hot day. As to watering systems, my husband has spent countless hours fiddling with the drip irrigation. As the plants grow they need constant re-adjusting. So now, we water by hand, which I enjoy anyway. Because like you, I like to get up close and personal with my plants and their individual needs. LOVE the watering can!! That is a real worker and looks fun to use.

[Kylee]

Guilty of all but the last one. I couldn't possibly water all we have with a watering can. I truly would be there all day. As it is, it takes about three hours to water everything with the hose and sprinkler.

My feet get watered almost as much as my gardens do. ;-)

And I definitely play favorites! If it's something invasive, I figure less water will help keep it under control!

I always water the areas surrounding plants, because I figure the ground is like a sponge or a paper towel. If you water just the plant and not the area around it, whatever is dry will draw water towards it and away from the plants, so it all gets it and as you said, it looks nicer when it's all wet, too!

[Beth]

I suspected that, Bev and Kylee -- that watering everything including the mulch keeps the garden cooler and moister and thus helps the plants.

It's my dream that my garden areas become large enough that I can't possibly continue watering using my current method! : ) Give me a few years....