Tools for Watering Your Learning Garden

How to Use Your Drip Irrigation System:

  1. Connect all hoses using quick connects before turning on water
  2. Turn on water and check to make sure all hoses are watering effectively
  3. Check effectiveness by putting your finger over one emitter and you should feel pressure build
  4. Let the entire system run for approximately 10 – 15 minutes
  5. Disconnect hoses and store neatly for the next person or group to use
  6. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil

 Remember…

  • Use the drip irrigation system after plants have been sprouted for at least two weeks
  • Monitor drip irrigation effectiveness, use a toothpick to unblock holes if not dripping

How to Top Water with Hand Sprayer:

  1. Connect a hose and hand sprayer to the closest water spigot
  2. Turn on hand sprayer to shower setting
  3. Water using a back and forth sweeping motion, ensuring a gentle, even spray
  4. Avoid puddling, which may disturb and inadvertently move newly planted seeds
  5. Move from bed to bed, allowing water to soak in before returning to previously watered areas
  6. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil

How to Top Water with Upcycled Watering Can:

  1. Review Big Green’s Upcycled Watering Can Activity
  2. Create an Upcycled Watering Can (one per student)
  3. Fill plastic bottle with water and loosely screw on the lid
  4. Demonstrate how to spread water gently and evenly to limit puddling
  5. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
  6. Upcycled Water Cans may be passed to the next class on the schedule

How to Top Water with Little Raincloud:

  1. Review Big Green’s Little Raincloud Activity
  2. Fill several large buckets or containers filled, place around your Learning Garden
  3. Collect 15 – 30 reusable containers (e.g. plastic cups or clean milk cartons)
  4. Demonstrate how to spread water gently and evenly to limit puddling
  5. Hold a cup of water in one hand
  6. Place the other hand with the palm facing up towards the sky and fingers loosely cupped about 6-8 inches above the surface of the garden
  7. Pour the cup of water slowly into the palm of the other hand, letting the water gently drizzle through the fingers onto the soil in a manner that mimics gentle rain drops
  8. Move hands together back and forth over the garden to direct water to the dry soil and avoid create puddles of water
  9. Check soil moisture by using a finger to dig down to make sure water penetrated ~3 inches into the soil
  10. Little Raincloud supplies may be passed to the next class on the schedule
Downloadable PDF