How to Really Water a Vegetable Garden: The Principles & Visual Examples for a Thriving Garden 

Really appreciated this video. Very through explanation. I live in zone 10. We’re in a bad drought. And like you said I want my plants to thrive not just survive.

I just want to confirm that this was REALLY helpful. Thank you! It's the simple things that are most likely misunderstood

Oh Gary, THANK YOU! With the current drought and very high temps, and a 100% giant container garden, I have been successful in keeping everything alive, but I needed this to give me confidence to use MORE water. And I do mulch, and yes, it made all the difference in containers when I started using it.

I listened to your advice on watering the surface roots and timing the deep watering. I’ve had the best tomato year than I’ve ever had!! My whole garden on a whole was better as far as watering. I was more consistent, which I believe helped also. Thanks for the videos! They have helped me become a more observant gardener and it’s payed off. So thank you.

Thanks for that ..yes it’s so hot …I also do a deep water every other day ..but still check in them daily 🌱🌱

Your knowledge is invaluable to me; and so timely! You always seem to teach exactly what I need when I need it most. Thank God for you!

Thank you so much for this video. This is my first year to garden so the visual is very helpful. I’ve been watering daily here as it’s been over 100+ degrees for more than 2 weeks. I’m using containers and raised beds.

Thanks so much. This is very helpful. Looking forward to the container episode.

This year I put down thick straw mulch, it’s cut down the watering considerably. I’ve also tried to dig in a core of straw down the center of the bed.

Yet again, such an amazing video! I really appreciate how you make every gardener think about what their experiences are and how there is no panacea to when to sow or when to water. I grow outside on lanai on the top floor, so when roof heats up - it puts me instead of zone 9a into 10b for sure regardless of the season. However, I also grow indoors as we have south facing windows, and we keep 70F indoor, so wide range of greenery that can be grown. My lanai/patio/balcony are watered Daily, whereas my indoor garden once or twice a week 😊 thank you for an amazing video, so inspiring ❤

Great information. I look forward to the video on container watering.

Great advice. I'll be sharing this with my neighbors and anybody else that asks me about watering. They want a simple answer and it just doesn't work that way. Today we hit 96° and tomorrow its gonna be hoter in 6B Pa.

You have reinforced my own opinion/practice. Thank you so much!

I donot like to water the garden like this.yes your garden looks beautiful. Your garden is not congested .and plants are in the ground. I have potted plant garden. About as many as you have. I water not with hose. I fill big drum of water let the water stand for hour or two to get rid of chlorine.then I water with a container about the same amount ansuring I do justice to size of pot soil. No infection at all that I was facing with garden hose spray. Yes shade or sun does matters..when very hot,I put my tall potted tomato plant in front of cucumber plants so they do not get too hot and bitter.Your detailed video is sure a good one,time and concentration on the subject itself is amazing

Thank you, Gary. Excellent vid. Very appropriate content. Heading out now to do some more watering on new plantings for Fall garden. Thanks for reminder. Following your guidance, this has been one of the best gardens I’ve had in 24yrs of my summer hobby garden.

Good info! I thought I was overwatering my tomatoes! They are actually screaming for lack of water☹️

I have to water my potted tomato's, eggplants, cucs, about 25 to 40 seconds every day. They dry out super fast here in Chicago. Full sun all day. If it's in the 70s I can water every other day. In the 90s twice a day. It takes me 35 mins a day. My raised beds have irrigation thank goodness.

Thanks for the video . I also gave you a review on Amazon for your book.

Gary you totally confirmed what I have learned over the last few years. If you don’t have good draining soil, perhaps you can water too much but not in raised beds or pots! My plants are so much happier with more water!

Thank you Gary!

I really want a T-shirt that say “Gary is my Garden Guru”. I’ve been soaking well but my frequency is not enough. Especially as triple digits have been hitting us here in the Midwest. Thanks Gary for thinking of all the pertinent garden information that I need.

Here in southern New Jersey, we had two light rains in a month.

Good job

Good video thanks! I check with a moisture meter.

Gary have you ever used a watering wand? I like them. You can put the head right on the soil and avoid splash.

Thanks,Gary! Looking forward to the container plant watering video!

Thanks Gary. I am about to start some seeds for my fall container garden in Texas. Planning to grow. Zucchini, Broccoli and squash.

Most excellent video and much needed. With so many variables I really appreciate you tackling this subject with real time visual. 💯 I have attempted melons in 20gal grow bags trained up a chain link fence. I think I've got the watering down in this heat. What a challenge. I'm at 2gal of water every other day and our temps have been on fire up here in Zone5.

I water my fabric pots twice a day. Set up a system to water 12 hours apart on a timer, 10 minutes, everything thriving.

Thanks Gary, Not sure about your area but my Ny area has been hot 90's but very low humidity , great to keep the viruses at bay, but even with mulch, watering and shade cloth keeping the soil from drying is a chore. It's like a dehydrator up here , lol

Thanks Gary have a wonderful weekend 😀

So thankful for this video Gary thank you! I look forward to these videos it kinds of helps guide me where I should be with my garden. I remember in one of your earlier videos about 3 years ago you taught us how to deal with a vine borer… so guess what when it happened I knew exactly what to do. Thank you for your many years of constant teachings!

Thanks Gary. I always learn so much from your videos!

Awesome information. Thank you

This was really helpful, thank you. I cannot believe it didn't occur to me to water between plants for surface roots!

Thank you for the watering tips that I need to know! I have been watering my container plants at least once a day when there is no rain. I have been monitoring that & I feel they needed it. Now in the garden I don't water, without rain, but every 4 days that is for the tomatoes & for the zucchini & cucumbers about every other day, because I know that they need the moisture. I found that seems to be working for me. Remember you can tell when the tomatoes start turning & the leaves are curling it is time to water them down. My spouse thinks I'm watering way to must. Plus, we put two rain barrels one underneath the roof to catch water which I used daily. Save your money from the water company which you get billed!

We've been using those metal probe moisture meters to check the level and depth when watering our garden. Helps take the guesswork out. Many thanks for helping us succeed with our vegetable garden. ☮️💟

Another great video. You are spot on with your instructions. Different plants, different scenarios different times of the year. I simple duty very well explained

I am in SE PA and my poor beefsteaks have gotten so stressed. The leaf curl is horrible and although some of the tomatoes are starting to turn, I think they might have to be harvested earlier than I like. The smaller tomatoes, Super Sweet 100s, Husky Cherry Reds and Sun Sugars, as well as my Burrito Red chilies and Jalapenos are having no issues. Thanks as always for all you show us.

I water with irrigation every day twice a day. It is in the triple digits, and since I live in a desert, there is no rain forecasted any time soon. But a super important tip when it's the triple digits, a shade cloth of some sort is very important as well. It makes all the difference in growth and production.

When it’s in the 90’s (feels like 106), I’ve been watering daily and deep watering once a week unless it rains. When it’s in the 80’s, I water every other day.

Newer subscriber here. Thank you for giving me the knowledge and confidence to start my garden.

Beautiful Garden!

Thanks, Gary! That was very helpful

I appreciate these walkthroughs, I'm looking forward to the upcoming container watering video as I have both raised beds and grow bags and experimenting to see what grows well where.

We have been in triple digits for almost 2 weeks. I have been watering twice every day. Before the sun comes up over the trees and when the sun goes behind the trees on the west. Everything looks good and with any luck the weather is supposed to cool down by next week. My tomatoes are beginning to get ripe, peppers are on, beans are flowering and squash is doing fine. I take me about an hour and 30 minutes to water. The hot winds don't help.

What is that wire basket being used for? A trellis or to keep out bunnies and such? You can see it at 4:38 in the video and later when you water them you said they’re beans. I have 4 of those so I’d like to utilize them! Thanks for all your videos!! It really helps me. P.s. did I tell you I made $1075 at my first ever plant sale? It was a ton of work but worth it in the end.

Thank you. Looks like I’m doing ok

Great watering video! I always watered pretty heavily. The plants need it! 💦💦💦

your garden Is looking great Gary I have been experimenting with water to find ways to conserve with no rain its been Challenging I Think the Mulch has helped I am thinking about bearing milk jugs half way Into the soil field with water thay well have pin holes so the water seeps out little by little

Every year, I water my garden Every 2 days. I soak them where it shows Puddles in between each row and the front and back. With the heat we are having in my part of TN every 2 days is perfect for my garden. we have 14 different types of veggies in each row and have 6 rows all together. Best to use soaker hoses as here in TN we can smell the chlorine in our water and if you sprinkler or hose your plants above the ground, you get a somewhat plastic covering on the leaves due to the sunlight. But if you water when the sun goes down, it will be fine as it leaks off as its not being dried during the sun. I grow the garden every year not for me, because I cant eat those times of veggies. so I grow it and give them away to my area if they need it and believe me everyone comes and gets some. I've been doing this for over 10 years now

I wish I could give my garden that much water, but I live in California and we're lucky we have any water.

Something is eating/attacking my turnips, the bulb below the surface. What is it? What can I do about it?

Have you ever tried using ollas? They're fun and kept my beans going last year.

Water is Expensive, I have a container garden w/about 20 containers various sizes and lot of vegetable plants, so I had a gallon jug, cut the top off, and was just watering the plants each plant about gallon, so I got the water bill, needless to say it was High. So I put the grass clippings as mulch, created a hole around the stem of the plant in the middle for each plant. I got me a sprayer put fertilizer inside, and this is what I did. I put the sprayer into the gallon container, and I counted ten seconds, then I got a measuring cup and I measured the water in the gallon jug. It turned out to about 1 1/2 cups. . And I figured it was about 2.5 Gallons of water total used. And they were watered very good. My plants are thriving very good, am growing water melons on a steel mesh trellis, and cantaloupes, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Each time I water them I make sure I got fertilizer in the sprayer container. I also, collected rain water for the 1st time, I collected 50 gallons of water, I had 2 clothing bins, took off the lids, and put them where the rain water comes off the roof, and when it stormed the other day, they were full in a few minutes. So that means, I will get 2 more bins to collect water, and that should help me get thru the summer heat here in Houston. Thank You.

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Thanks for this topic Gary, I live in the California redwoods and some shade. My tomatoes don’t ripen until early September. I heard I need to let the tomatoes stress a little (not water too much) so they put out more flowers. Is that true. Otherwise the plants keep growing green leaves. What say you?

Looks wonderful, truly awesome. Keep in mind that a drought is a tough thing to deal with. - and it's bound to happen sometime this summer. In the event that it does, I recommend that you begin spraying your fields with hydrogen peroxide in addition to regular H2O. You should doing it in usually in the evening. It's a great supplement to regular water to assist with the soil, our most important resource. Headin' in now for a big family lunch with the family. Looks like it's gonna be taters, maybe some corn - possibly a nice big steak from the deep freeze. God Bless Y'all and thank you do to keep us all fed and healthy.

Looks so lovely..is there sound ? I am unable to hear but it could be on our end

Really useful to see what truly sufficient water looks like. It's been scorching this past week. Do you have thoughts on dampening a bed and then doing the focused watering in a couple of passes vs all the day's water at once on each spot? I do the former, but I think it helps me more to pass over the bed several times in a watering session than it makes any difference to the plants. Thanks!

I noticed that weekly mushroom blooms would make my soil hydrophobic so I began watering daily & it has promoted slime-mold which also makes the soil hydrophobic after it blooms. It's interesting to watch the orange & white slime battle for territory. I'm also pondering an issue: I planted 500 luffa seeds in zone-9b, in-ground, in February & with 8 plants on 50ft of trellis I still don't have blooms. I predict to have blooms in the 3rd quarter of August b/c they're still getting 13h45m of daylight. These bloom-booster & super-bloom products haven't done anything(for flowering) yet. I'm going to try not watering but I feel like I'll have to wait for the flowering.

Gary what kind of water do you use? My municipal tap water has chlorine and other disinfectants. I've tried saving rain water via a downspout Diverter to barrels. But havent had Much rain. Any thoughts on tap waters, I guess it varies by municipalities.

I've been watering correctly twice a week, but apparently I need to water a little more often. It takes me almost 2 hours to water everything. I have a rolling garden stool I sit on to slide along as I water each part of each bed, I water under the canopy of the leaves that way I don't get them wet, and I'm also not bending over hurting my back for hours.

Do you not find that watering every 2nd day dilutes your tomatoes' flavour? When I did that my tomatoes did not taste nearly as great as they did when I watered deeply once per week.

How much is the spigot turned? Is it on full blast?

Awesome video thanks a ton. I felt like i needed to water more but jeez does it feel wrong if the surface or just below it is very slightly looking wet. I need to get deeper

I can see my water bill going from $200/mth to $500/mth while I'm watching this. I'm in SoCal triple digits. I have two 5x15ft grow beds and they get 20 gallons/day based on my water meter.

I planted some pole beans and the leaves came out all shriveled and deformed when they sprouted. Can too much water cause that or maybe heat stress? Have more of a sandy soil in a raised bed and did not cover with mulch.

I'm new to your channel. It's terrific!! What is the mulch you use? Thank you.

The biggest problem i have done this yr is overwatered my tomatoes and they rotted. Beautiful green plants in containwrs and no potatoes. I just did some more 70 day potatoes and will watwr weekly

With thr ongoing draught in PA we are using water from the pond. Is this okay too ?

One problem Im having is I live in middle Georgia, we get in the triple digits and it rains, even when the weather man says its not going to, it rains, so on some days Im double watering my garden!!! but for two weeks we got heavy rain EVERY DAY! Mine is a container garden...I only have a few raised beds...our soil here isnt good for raised beds since there seems to be a layer of casphalt UNDER or dirt! For this reason I have more containers then raised beds. And I use Miracle Grow Moisture control soil. Our clay soil is horrible for growing anything so I use containers and bag soil. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

What kind of mulch do you use for tomatoes?

Gary do you use a well system or city water. Thanks

Not sure if you know the answer or not but what are the chances of me running our well low from watering the garden? Our new house is on well water. I’m watering about 3-4 times per week and it takes about a half hour each time.

I water alot! But my cucumber vine is looking pretty bad at the bottom at the start of it. The leaves are yellow and crispy from the sun???? My tomatoes are green and huge??? No red ones??? I have 1 musk melon lol.

What grow zone are you in

Is it OK to water my plants in the afternoon after the sun go down like 8 PM zone 7 someone please answer my question cause I'm getting a very rough time with my guarden this year and I think I'm watering too much, or over or pruning too much I don't know which one I'm doing wrong , Last year I had a good year of tomato but this time I don't know what's happening Tomatoes barely flooring a couple of tomatoes they look like they're dying help please

I must be a glutton for punishment watching you water your beautiful gardens! > the water well has been "on the fritz" all month with 100°+F...I'm just a co-renter & senior citizen, so all I can do is conserve, pray & wait...

Sound is working

Gary. Something has been eating my leaves on my new blackberry and other plants. I have been spraying with neem oil but not sure if its enough. I have seen a small fly hovering over it could tis be the problem? thanks

I've been wondering why my plants are not doing well, I'm totally under watering. They're turning yellow, it's that also from under watering?

How much do you water? How much does a car cost? How much does a house cost? Lotta variables.

a pretty common sense approach, thanks. One thing I know for sure is that 1 inch thing DOES NOT WORK...I do what you do plus gallon water jugs with tiny holes (redneck drip-HA)...I could easily water everyday in the Arkansas heat. I watch all your stuff even if I think I know---always learning!

Do you use city water and if so do you filter for chlorine? Thanks!

Our tomato plants are yellowing and not producing much, with daily water and weekly fertilizer any ideas?

Silly question, but you say surface roots, if im seeing toots when watering from time go time... ive been trying to cover those when i see them... is that normal?

Do you still reccomend using hydrogen peroxide?

How about onions

What is the nozzle you are using on you hose please?

Have to water my 15 gallon bags 60 seconds every day.

For all saying no sound, this seems to be the same problem across the board, probably an issue with RU-vid and not a specific channels videos etc. Hope that helps, I just close out of yt completely and come back after complete closing down app.

Audio is not working.

No sound

2 words: automatic drip. The cost is well worth the time and headache it will save u.

Trouble is watering is boooooring! I made measurements and know that my hose puts 1" of water on my 8' x 4' beds in 4 minutes. I set a timer on my phone otherwise I cheat! Listen to some sounds or the radio! Once a week in cooler conditions, twice in a heatwave (or 8 minutes, once) Best wishes

Too bad we just can't do it the way they would grow in Nature - only needed watering when it rains. That is what the Hopi Indians do. Instead of watering, they plant several seeds deeply expecting only one to grow and thrive. They also plant much father apart.