Hello - I'm having a heck of a time finding info on proper target moisture content, particularly for newly planted vines. Soil is a sandy loam. Top few inches bake in the sun and dry out quick but below in the root zone holds some moisture, but I can't find info on what the optimal target should be. I've seen lots of scientific papers with units of measurement I have no way of ascertaining. I do have a moisture sensor that reads in percent that is hooked to my irrigation system as well as a hand probe that goes to about 20". I don't want to overwater and end up with root rot but also don't want to starve them either.
Soil moisture content & irrigation
- Thread starter HanksHill
- Start date
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The key to what you said is new vines. , , , What you didn’t say is where you are? Temperature?
Young plants have had roots lost and need uniform moisture for growth. In a greenhouse this would be watering every day and twice or three times a day if the pots started getting light weight. Outside I feel the ground, too wet will form a ball like a snowball, will stick on the shoes and get tracked in the house. Too dry will start to act like clay which is baked. I am testing soil as I dig in the garden or any dirt movement A variable is temperature. In the 60s evaporation is slow yet there still is root growth. In the 80s water quickly evaporates so more (daily) water is needed. Compost will act as a buffer giving you more work room and better drainage in the root zone. Also mulch lowers the temperature in the top soil which buffers the moisture.
Soil is porous so I could overwater and moisture on the top where new plants are would go away. As a general statement if you are in the 80s unless you are forming puddles keeping watering every day. A misting nozzle is better than a drench (I have been drenching grass seed in the 70s for two weeks,,, it doesn’t work)
For where you are/ local soil conditions ask the manager at the garden center. Hopefully they will talk about temperature and rain which means they are competent. Garden centers want the plants to survive so they should know the local answer. (I have worked at the garden center)
Young plants have had roots lost and need uniform moisture for growth. In a greenhouse this would be watering every day and twice or three times a day if the pots started getting light weight. Outside I feel the ground, too wet will form a ball like a snowball, will stick on the shoes and get tracked in the house. Too dry will start to act like clay which is baked. I am testing soil as I dig in the garden or any dirt movement A variable is temperature. In the 60s evaporation is slow yet there still is root growth. In the 80s water quickly evaporates so more (daily) water is needed. Compost will act as a buffer giving you more work room and better drainage in the root zone. Also mulch lowers the temperature in the top soil which buffers the moisture.
Soil is porous so I could overwater and moisture on the top where new plants are would go away. As a general statement if you are in the 80s unless you are forming puddles keeping watering every day. A misting nozzle is better than a drench (I have been drenching grass seed in the 70s for two weeks,,, it doesn’t work)
For where you are/ local soil conditions ask the manager at the garden center. Hopefully they will talk about temperature and rain which means they are competent. Garden centers want the plants to survive so they should know the local answer. (I have worked at the garden center)
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Drip irrigation will be your answer I irrigate from 4 am to 7am never during the day that allows enough soil saturation. I have red clay with sandy soil you will need to irrigate longer. I have a catch container under one of my drip emitters to catch my drips I want a constant 1 inch of rain or water a week on my plants.
balatonwine
The Verecund Vigneron
Personally, I only water a new vine if it shows physical signs of needing water. That is I let the plants tell me if it needs water or not. Else, I do not add water. That is, I check them twice a day, but I do not over think it. If they have signs of wilt, they get water. Plants are not damaged by the some water stress wilt (as long as you do not let it persist for more than one day) and they always "spring back".
By letting the vines "tough it out" means they will make better deep roots for long term heath. Which is why I also do not drip irrigate or water on top as that may stimulate shallow roots. When a vine needs water, I use a deep probe and inject water into or even below the root zone, so the roots dive deep for soil water. For adult wines, that is where the water will be, so the young vines need to set roots into that zone as soon as possible**.
I also only plant vines in the fall. That lets them settle in during the winter, and easily can tap soil moisture in the spring to build healthy roots, reducing root stress.
**Which of course is also the question to ask: Your area. Because soil type alone is not enough. Local climate also matters. As I live in a temperate climate, with plenty of winter rain and snow and summer rain I do not have to irrigate my adult vines at all. Despite my clay soils, above the vine root zone, getting very dry and turn to concrete between summer rains. But some climates do not have water in the soil to keep vines alive even to a depth of 2 meters which a vines roots can extend (ergo, those areas requires irrigation even for the adult vines). So your water pattern now is dictated by your local climate.
By letting the vines "tough it out" means they will make better deep roots for long term heath. Which is why I also do not drip irrigate or water on top as that may stimulate shallow roots. When a vine needs water, I use a deep probe and inject water into or even below the root zone, so the roots dive deep for soil water. For adult wines, that is where the water will be, so the young vines need to set roots into that zone as soon as possible**.
I also only plant vines in the fall. That lets them settle in during the winter, and easily can tap soil moisture in the spring to build healthy roots, reducing root stress.
**Which of course is also the question to ask: Your area. Because soil type alone is not enough. Local climate also matters. As I live in a temperate climate, with plenty of winter rain and snow and summer rain I do not have to irrigate my adult vines at all. Despite my clay soils, above the vine root zone, getting very dry and turn to concrete between summer rains. But some climates do not have water in the soil to keep vines alive even to a depth of 2 meters which a vines roots can extend (ergo, those areas requires irrigation even for the adult vines). So your water pattern now is dictated by your local climate.
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I irrigate to fertilize and I also use systemic fungicides and insecticides in my irrigation systems
