Irrigation by habit either wastes water or stresses the crop. A simple method fixes both.
Three questions
1. How much water can the root zone hold? Sandy soils hold little (irrigate often, lightly); clay holds more (less often, deeper).
2. How fast does the crop use it? Use grows with leaf area and heat; peak use at flowering and fruit fill.
3. How much have you applied or received (irrigation, rain)?
In practice
Water when about 40–50% of the available water is used (less for sensitive vegetables). Keep a simple log of dates, amounts and rain. Use the feel test and, if you can, a few low-cost moisture probes to check. Adjust through the season as crop demand changes.
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