How Can I Water My Garden Using My Point Well Pump?

Calculate your garden’s water needs. Watering needs vary among different plants, trees and shrubs. Most gardens need seven to 24 minutes of saturation per week. During dry periods, watering needs may increase. Speak with a local garden shop or landscaper if you are unsure exactly how much water you need.

Calibrate the amount of water coming out of the pump per minute. Garden hoses allow up to 9 gallons of water per minute, but most point well pumps suck water out at three to five per minute. If you lack a calibration tester, simply use a 5-gallon bucket and turn the water pump on for one minute to see how many gallons are released.

Attach a garden hose to the pump and turn it on for the time needed to water the garden. A small 6-by-6-foot garden may take a total of 15 minutes to saturate all areas appropriately.

Turn the pump off if you see run off. Increase the watering time if you see plants wilting and browning.

Using water wisely prevents making the land barren. As water is pulled from the well, salt levels increase. You may be watering one area while creating a bigger problem in another.

Install a water storage system to pump and store water in periods of low use and high rain. This increases the amount available during droughts and dry, summer periods. Local hardware stores have storage tanks that you can also attach filters to reduce contaminants.