Watering your garden isn't like watering your yard. Most grasses used throughout the US are extremely hardy, capable of resisting disease and rot caused by water. Garden plants and vegetables, however, need a gentler irrigation strategy. Flowers and vegetables are sensitive to watering, and thrive in a moist soil. While stems and leaves can manage being wet, it is inadvisable to continuously spray them with water.
There are multiple factors to consider in garden watering, and successful gardeners will take advantage of a proper irrigation system.
What are the Dangers of Watering by Hand and Sprinkler
Traditionally, the concept behind watering has been to get the plant, field, or garden wet. Whether it was through a hose, can, or sprinkler system, plants just needed a vague amount of water thrown at them like rain. Although the environment seems like an appropriate role model, a gardener's care and concern must go deeper than the Mother Nature's comprehensive sprinkler system.
As mentioned earlier, gardens usually contain plants and vegetables more susceptible to external factors. Naturally plants can get wet, but growing a healthy garden means minimizing potential threats. Over-watering or keeping stems and leaves consistently wet leads to mold, disease, and rot. Damp areas under the leaves will grow mold, and the water on top of leaves magnifies the sun's rays which burns the plant. These symptoms may not appear immediately, but preventative care is a gardener's best strategy. Instead of unequally watering and putting gardens at risk of decay, irrigation systems can ensure the job is consistently well-done.
Garden Irrigation Benefits
Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems are optimum in gardens. They provide steady streams of water for set amounts of time right to the plant's base and soil, guaranteeing the consistency a garden craves. These systems are also much less costly than installing a sprinkler system. In lieu of trying to eyeball the proper amount of watering a garden needs daily, serious gardeners make the low-cost investment in irrigation systems.
On top of reducing health risks to plants, irrigation systems conserve water and create organizational patterns. Due to their design which introduces water directly to where it's needed, soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems vastly cut down on the amount of water needed. In today's "green" mindset, conserving water is a major benefit to both the garden and the world. Depending on what the purpose is, gardeners can find multiple irrigation system designs. Some are flexible, and some are built for square foot gardening.
The square foot gardening irrigation systems are especially beneficial because they separate the garden into equal organizational squares. Gardeners can use these to space their plants appropriately, achieving even greater watering technique. Plants that don't have enough space will choke one another in their search for water and nutrients. To thrive, each plant and vegetable needs its own personal space.
In addition to water conservation, organization, and threat reduction, irrigation systems provide an intangible benefit as well – time. Instead of spending more time unequally watering their garden, gardeners perform two simple steps that ensure near-perfect watering: 1) check the soil moisture (1"- 1.5" inches of moisture depth), and 2) if the soil is dry, set the timer for a few minutes. This two-step process takes minutes to accomplish, allowing gardeners to spend less time worrying and more time on other ventures.
Monday
GiphyWe have all been there. Monday's are brutal after a weekend. Especially when you have to face being an adult again.
Saturday
GiphyWeekends are fun. Sometimes you end up doing something that you didn't think you would be doing. Great story to tell at the next family get together!
Weeks go by faster sometimes compared to others. But at the end of the day at least there are cute pug gifs to look at.
3. You are important
Everyone who knows you, they love you.
4. It is better to be kind
GiphyI know the world seems so awful right now, but you being kind can make a difference to someone.
6. Love yourself
GiphyLife is not always great, but when you can love yourself it can make it a little bit better.
7. Push yourself
GiphyDo not overdo yourself, but work hard and do your best for the things you want in life.
10. It is okay to fail
GiphyAs your great- grandfather said "Nothing can grow without a little resistance."
1. Make a physical list of some of your most important goals.
GiphyThese will all be dependent on your personal values and what you find important in your life. It can range from succeeding in school, strengthening relationships with others, practicing more self-love, traveling more often, or anything else you could possibly think of for yourself. It is best to write them down to be able to look at, but you do not have to stick to that list.
2. Gather all the materials to make the board.
GiphyIt is best to find as many magazines as possible from a variety of sources. The more you have in your collection, the more options you will have to make your board unique and interesting. Some other items you will need are scissors, tape, a glue stick, construction paper, cardboard, and any other decorations you feel like adding for a personal touch.
3. Start going through the magazines to see what might be useful.
GiphyLook at every single page with an open mind. Find words or pictures that stick out to you. Keep in mind things that apply to your goal list that you made. Go through each and every magazine because you never know what you may find.
4. Cut out anything you find important (and even some random things too).
GiphyTake your scissors and just start cutting anything and everything. Cut out words or phrases that seem to relate to you or inspire you. It is better to have too many things on your board than to have tons of tacky empty spaces.
5. Add aesthetic pictures from the magazines to add some extra flare.
GiphyFind some flowers, fashion models, pictures of food, or literally anything you feel like. If you find something you like, go ahead and add it. You could always put some words over the pictures as well which will just enhance your board.
6. Decide how big you want your final board to be.
GiphyThis will depend on how many things you have cut out so far. I recommend using cardboard as your canvas because it tends to be stronger which will help your board last longer. I just cut part of a box up to find a size big enough for what I wanted. You could always just use a piece of paper or poster board as well; it is all up to you!
7. Place any background materials onto your board first.
GiphySince I used cardboard, I decided to place pieces of construction paper on top of it to make the background look nicer. It makes it look cleaner and decorative. You can do with it however you feel like.
8. Start arranging all your cut pieces on the actual board.
GiphyThere are two ways you could approach this task. One way is to just start gluing or taping as you go along placing things. That is a good method if you naturally have good spacial skills and can visualize where things can go. If that does not seem like you, I recommend placing everything on the board and then gluing it down at the end.
9. Add any last details to bring it altogether.
GiphyBring out all your favorite stickers and colored pencils. Add a washi tape border around the outside. Outline some of your pictures. Throw some glitter all over the place. Make it whatever you want because this is something you should be proud of.
10. Hang your finished product somewhere you will actually see it every day.
GiphySince you spent some quality time putting it together, you might as well spend some time to actually admire your work. Just looking at it in your room can inspire you each time. Read one word or all of them; there is no definite way to appreciate it.
Even if you feel your goals are too difficult, it most likely will not hurt you to try. Share your creation with others because you never know who you could inspire.
3. When they're extra nice to their parents, they'll take it upon themselves to start leaving things around the house.
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5. And they'll swear that next year, they're only bringing to school half of what they brought this year.
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7. Thinking about college friends will remind them to call up their friends from home to hang out.
Giphy8. And they'll start to realize they need a job to pay for all the meals they are eating out with their friends.
Giphy9. So they'll get a job, realize how long the 9 to 5 workday is, and wish they were back at school.
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13. When they make a habit out of relaxing, they will settle into a routine at home and start to get comfortable.
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16. Shopping for college stuff will remind them just how little time they get at home these days.
Giphy17. So they will want to spend more time with their family and enjoy the last few days at home.
Giphy18. While they enjoy the last few days at home, they will be extra nice to their parents because they really will miss them.
Giphy19. Even though they're excited to go back, it feels good to be surrounded by the family and friends they have missed. They really are glad they got to come home for the summer.
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