ARROSAGE : TECHNIQUES, PRATIQUES, ÉCONOMIES, AVEC LES IDÉES ET LES CONSEILS DE PATRICK ET ROLAND

Thank you for following the publications of NewsJardinTV, the 100% garden expert channel! Here, we offer you a seasonal feature on the topic of watering. It is taken from issue 12 of our major weekly podcast: "Bienvenue au Jardin!" This podcast, presented by our gardening journalists Patrick Mioulane and Roland Motte, is posted online every Saturday at 8 a.m. One might rightly wonder why we water gardens, since in nature, plants are content with the water that falls from the sky. The only natural thing about a garden is its appearance and some of its occupants. Nothing is more artificial than a flowerbed or vegetable garden that brings together plants from all four corners of the globe, often from very different climatic regions, and whose planting density is much higher than that of natural ecosystems. Water: Essential for Plants Like all living things, plants are essentially made of water. The most tender tissues such as lettuce and leek leaves, young asparagus stems, grass, and cucurbit fruits (melon, pumpkin, cucumber) contain more than 90% water. How to water? It's better to water extensively once a week than a little every day. Indeed, if only a few centimeters of soil are moist, the roots develop on the surface and don't dive deep, making them more susceptible to drought. Efficient watering To limit water loss through evaporation, water in the evening or even in the middle of the night in summer, and if that's not possible, very early in the morning. This gives the water time to penetrate the soil and be absorbed by the roots. Watering should be at least 3 to 5 liters per square meter to be effective. Be careful to provide sufficient water because, especially when watering with a hose, watering applications are often inefficient. Limit water consumption Harvesting rainwater for watering will reduce your bill and help preserve dwindling drinking water resources. Techniques and systems • Drip systems provide just the right amount of water for plants. Recommended for potted plants and perennial plantings. • Microporous pipes (often made from recycled tires) are an attractive solution because the water is released very slowly, with no loss through evaporation or runoff. • Jamet ollas are porous pottery that is partially buried and slowly seeps deep into the ground, providing economical and highly effective watering. Supplemental mulch The mulch layer retains moisture well and allows for reduced watering frequency. On the other hand, you need to wet the area more thoroughly so that the water penetrates the protective layer. This practical video gives you good tips and ideas for watering efficiently and as economically as possible. Thank you for watching. NewsJardinTV invites you to discover the weekly one-hour show: "Welcome to the Garden!" It can be listened to anytime and anywhere in its audio version (that's the great thing about this format!) either on the NewsJardinTV website: https://www.newsjardintv.com/les-podc... or/and on most major podcast platforms: Apple Podcast, Spotify; Deezer, Google Podcast, Podcast Addict, Tune In, Stitcher, and SoundCloud, etc. We'll see you next Saturday for a new episode of "Welcome to the Garden!" Please note that the video version on YouTube is broadcast live from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The latter gives you the opportunity to "chat" with the Internet users present, which reinforces the conviviality of the show. There are now more than 1.5 million of you watching NewsJardinTV's 100% garden videos each month, and we are very happy about that. Thank you for your loyalty!