Should a Garden Be Overhead Watered or Soaked From the Ground?

Benefits

• When plants are watered from the ground, water goes directly to the plants' roots, resulting in stronger, faster growth. The plants may also suffer fewer disease problems because the leaves don't get wet, which frequently spreads diseases. Watering from the ground results in less evaporation, as well, especially when the weather is hot. Weed growth is also reduced, because water goes only to the plants and not to the surrounding soil, reducing weed seed germination.

Considerations

• Couple soaker hoses with mulches for even more efficient watering. In the vegetable garden, lay soaker hoses under grass clippings, straw or black plastic. You'll have fewer weeds and higher yields because in addition to conserving moisture, mulches keep the soil warmer. In the perennial bed, lay soaker hoses or drip systems under wood chip mulch. Salts, sand and bacterial iron in the water may clog soaker hoses, although this problem is uncommon when using municipal water. Check the hoses regularly to make sure they are seeping water. Discard them when they become cracked or worn out.

Alternatives

• If using soaker hoses isn't practical for your gardening situation, practice good water management strategies to conserve water while using overhead sprinklers. Run the sprinklers in the early morning. Leaves dry off quickly, reducing the chance of disease, and less water is lost to evaporation than if you water in the heat of the day. Keep sprinkler systems maintained so water doesn't leak, and position them so water goes to the plants, rather than wetting hard surfaces.

General Recommendations

• Soaker hoses or drip systems work well in raised beds or a small vegetable plot. Try soaker hoses for a season before converting your system to see how you like them. Overhead sprinkler systems are often used for watering large vegetable gardens, where their benefits may outweigh the extra expense of installing soaker hoses. In dry, cool climates disease is less prone to spread by wet leaves, making sprinkler systems a reasonable choice.