Put down the sprinkler and step into the garden

Our main garden is pretty big and we also have the raised beds, plus another little spot where the yard was all torn up big the chickens.  Normally, I hook up a couple big ratcheting sprinklers or use a couple of those that shoot up into the air and rock from one side to another,  the kind the kids love.  I think the best thing that happened this year for the garden is that the kids broke that sprinkler the last time they played with it. This year the garden is getting its water the old fashion way, with  the  two gallon green watering can.  Turns out this is the way to go.


 I planted the zucini and the squash in little groups of four and when they had come up out of the ground I mounded dirt around each group as well as each tomato, and pepper plant.  That way the water is only going right to where it is needed.  The sunflowers, green beans and cucumbers had to be planted into a row, but for these I mounded the dirt around the entire section.  When everything had come up I sprayed the whole garden and gave it good soak.  This a bunch of remaining seeds from weeds germinate and after a week or so I started to see little green spots everywhere. After hacking up all the dirt outside the little wells, I resumed only watering the little rows and the places where I had made little wells.

The result is that the weed factor is almost gone.  Everything died after I hacked it up and then withheld the water. The few things left where easy to pick from the base of the plants by hand.  I thought the drought conditions that we are experiencing in Texas would be a problem, but this is the most productive garden I have  had and I am using a fraction of the water I normally do.  It is time consuming, but seems to be paying off in zucchini.