Posted by David Hare-Scott on February 22, 2010, 11:18 pm
FarmI wrote:
> Rain gauges aren't only used for figuring out how often to water a
> garden. In fact I'd say that I've never known any gardner round here
> who uses their rrain gauge in determing how often they water their
> garden beds.
> We use a rain guage to record rainfall so that we have accurate annual
> records for if/when we sell our farms. Buyers ask for that sort of
> information because it determines grazing. Additionally we also like
> to know how we're going in terms of rainfall by seasons and to
> compare it to long term averages. I think there is more benefit in
> knowing if you've had a dry or wet some over time so that you can
> figure out why particular crops did well or not so well.
> Artifical watering is also not the equivalent of rainfall in terms of
> production so knowing what fell from the sky as opposed to knowing
> what came from a tap is also part of that do well/rotten yield
> scenario.
Besides if you know how much rain fell last night you always have something
to say when you meet strangers.
D
Posted by FarmI on February 23, 2010, 4:26 pm
> FarmI wrote:
>> Rain gauges aren't only used for figuring out how often to water a
>> garden. In fact I'd say that I've never known any gardner round here
>> who uses their rrain gauge in determing how often they water their
>> garden beds.
>> We use a rain guage to record rainfall so that we have accurate annual
>> records for if/when we sell our farms. Buyers ask for that sort of
>> information because it determines grazing. Additionally we also like
>> to know how we're going in terms of rainfall by seasons and to
>> compare it to long term averages. I think there is more benefit in
>> knowing if you've had a dry or wet some over time so that you can
>> figure out why particular crops did well or not so well.
>>
>> Artifical watering is also not the equivalent of rainfall in terms of
>> production so knowing what fell from the sky as opposed to knowing
>> what came from a tap is also part of that do well/rotten yield
>> scenario.
> Besides if you know how much rain fell last night you always have
> something to say when you meet strangers.
Heavens no - strangers are only interesting for an out of district
perspective!
Any drop of rain is always the first point of discussion with friends and
aquaintances in the village. As you'd know given the intermittent rainfall
we've been subject to these past years, everyone wants to know how they
scored in the rainfall lottery. Even half a km in ground distance can mean
a huge difference in the amount that arrives on the soil and we're in a
rural cattle/sheep/horse area so you would understand the fascination.
Posted by Lelandite on February 23, 2010, 9:07 am
>>>
>>>> I think a decent rain gauge would be a very useful gardening tool. I
>>>> plan to put one right where my irrigation system (soaker hoses) begin.
>>>> With the rain gauge, I can keep a log of the rain we get each week and
>>>> determine how long to water my vegetables using the soaker hoses. I'd
>>>> like to see my garden have between 1" to 1 1/2" of water a week. I not
>>>> a very experienced gardener but I want to try and do it the right way.
>>>> I been putting a lot of money into equipment and doing all the research
>>>> I can on every aspect of home vegetable gardening. My neighbors on both
>>>> sides of my property also have vegetable gardens BUT they are unwilling
>>>> to invest hardly any money or time in their gardens. It sure does have
>>>> a negative effect on the crops they grow! I had the one neighbor coming
>>>> over to my house last summer asking if he could buy a few tomatoes from
>>>> me. He put out a dozen tomato plants of his own for just him and his
>>>> wife. I said: NO, you can't buy any but just help yourself to all you
>>>> want! I'm a very firm believer that you only get out of anything in
>>>> life what your willing to invest in it. If your going to have a garden,
>>>> then invest time and money in it and do it the right way. I'm in this
>>>> fine discuss group because I'm quite new to gardening but I want to
>>>> learn from others and enjoy getting their opinions on all aspects of
>>>> gardening :) Thanks for sharing your experience with soaker hoses.
>>>>
>>>> Happy Gardening............ Rich
>>>
>>> I like this a lot.
>>>\
>>> Bill
>>>
>>> Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
>>
>>
>>I truly liked this post as well and am now going to purchase a
>>good rain gauge. The lay out of my yard/gardens requires
>>sprinklers. In the past I have tried to visually decide how much
>>was enough. With a gauge, I'll know exactly how much water
>>my yard n flower n berry beds are gettting.
> Automatic sprinklers are on a timer (a timer is what makes them
> automatic), don't need any stinkin' rain gauge... folks with an
> automatic sprinkler system use a rain sensor gauge, a simple
> inexpensive gizmo wired to the sprinkler timer that detects a preset
> amount of rain fall that when reached will prevent the sprinkers from
> sprinkling. With manual sprinkers that one moves about the most
> accurate rain gauge for detecting the correct wetness for a particular
> area is to give it the "finger". Decide now, yoose wanna be the Jolly
> Green Giant or you wanna be Big Al Roker. LOL
my land is all of 75' x 100' and I utilize every inch of it. It's just me
these days but I sure won't turn down anyone wanting to install
automatic sprinkers and fancy timers! Watering by eye can be
rewarding in many ways....it keeps me close to Mother Earth and
I can see what needs more of this and less of that. And I've
always wanted a rain gauge and by golly I'm gonna get one!
I know what I want to be LOL so I think it's you who needs to
decide who you are. ;)
Donna
in WA
zone 8-9
with a whole week of 28 degrees in the morning and close to 60
degrees come closing time. Flowers will just have to wait before
they get outside.....then they can take root on one end as the other
end is stretching with all it's might to reach the Son. Kinda like
some of us'ns.
Posted by brooklyn1 on February 23, 2010, 4:13 pm
>>
>>>>
>>>>> I think a decent rain gauge would be a very useful gardening tool. I
>>>>> plan to put one right where my irrigation system (soaker hoses) begin.
>>>>> With the rain gauge, I can keep a log of the rain we get each week and
>>>>> determine how long to water my vegetables using the soaker hoses. I'd
>>>>> like to see my garden have between 1" to 1 1/2" of water a week. I not
>>>>> a very experienced gardener but I want to try and do it the right way.
>>>>> I been putting a lot of money into equipment and doing all the research
>>>>> I can on every aspect of home vegetable gardening. My neighbors on both
>>>>> sides of my property also have vegetable gardens BUT they are unwilling
>>>>> to invest hardly any money or time in their gardens. It sure does have
>>>>> a negative effect on the crops they grow! I had the one neighbor coming
>>>>> over to my house last summer asking if he could buy a few tomatoes from
>>>>> me. He put out a dozen tomato plants of his own for just him and his
>>>>> wife. I said: NO, you can't buy any but just help yourself to all you
>>>>> want! I'm a very firm believer that you only get out of anything in
>>>>> life what your willing to invest in it. If your going to have a garden,
>>>>> then invest time and money in it and do it the right way. I'm in this
>>>>> fine discuss group because I'm quite new to gardening but I want to
>>>>> learn from others and enjoy getting their opinions on all aspects of
>>>>> gardening :) Thanks for sharing your experience with soaker hoses.
>>>>>
>>>>> Happy Gardening............ Rich
>>>>
>>>> I like this a lot.
>>>>\
>>>> Bill
>>>>
>>>> Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA
>>>
>>>
>>>I truly liked this post as well and am now going to purchase a
>>>good rain gauge. The lay out of my yard/gardens requires
>>>sprinklers. In the past I have tried to visually decide how much
>>>was enough. With a gauge, I'll know exactly how much water
>>>my yard n flower n berry beds are gettting.
>>
>> Automatic sprinklers are on a timer (a timer is what makes them
>> automatic), don't need any stinkin' rain gauge... folks with an
>> automatic sprinkler system use a rain sensor gauge, a simple
>> inexpensive gizmo wired to the sprinkler timer that detects a preset
>> amount of rain fall that when reached will prevent the sprinkers from
>> sprinkling. With manual sprinkers that one moves about the most
>> accurate rain gauge for detecting the correct wetness for a particular
>> area is to give it the "finger". Decide now, yoose wanna be the Jolly
>> Green Giant or you wanna be Big Al Roker. LOL
>my land is all of 75' x 100' and I utilize every inch of it. It's just me
>these days but I sure won't turn down anyone wanting to install
>automatic sprinkers and fancy timers! Watering by eye can be
>rewarding in many ways....it keeps me close to Mother Earth and
>I can see what needs more of this and less of that. And I've
>always wanted a rain gauge and by golly I'm gonna get one!
How many inches of rain has already fallen may be an interesting bit
of trivia but has absolutely no value for gardening... far more
important is how much moisture is contained in ones soil... a soil
moistness sensor is a much more useful/practical device. Thre are
many in all price ranges... this thingie looks interesting:
(Amazon.com product link shortened)
66959271&sr=1-1
Posted by David Hare-Scott on February 24, 2010, 2:30 am
brooklyn1 wrote:
> How many inches of rain has already fallen may be an interesting bit
> of trivia but has absolutely no value for gardening...
It must be very comforting to live in such a familiar little place where one
can be so certain of everything that one can make ex cathedra declarations.
What of those who live somewhere else? There are climates, soils and
people's circumstances that you know nothing of so how about allowing that
there can be different approaches to a problem.
David
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> garden. In fact I'd say that I've never known any gardner round here
> who uses their rrain gauge in determing how often they water their
> garden beds.
> We use a rain guage to record rainfall so that we have accurate annual
> records for if/when we sell our farms. Buyers ask for that sort of
> information because it determines grazing. Additionally we also like
> to know how we're going in terms of rainfall by seasons and to
> compare it to long term averages. I think there is more benefit in
> knowing if you've had a dry or wet some over time so that you can
> figure out why particular crops did well or not so well.
> Artifical watering is also not the equivalent of rainfall in terms of
> production so knowing what fell from the sky as opposed to knowing
> what came from a tap is also part of that do well/rotten yield
> scenario.