Watering Your Garden, the Lazy Way

Was feeling down, saw your thumbnail and immediately felt happy. Thanks for being you, out there authentically, sharing yourself and your journey with us ❤.

I topped my garden with mulch from my local mulch pile this year. With all those wood chips I figured I'd try less watering this year, and O my goodness what a difference. I've water my garden maybe 3-5 times this year, all the rest has been rain fall. My tomatoes taste better it's been my best pepper year so far, and I was able to support a very dense planting of lettuce,beans/peas, and onion. Definitely a smart method for everyone to use.

Here in the UK we've had a very wet growing season and terrible slug and snail damage to plants, when moist (such a nice lovely word) loving pests are around it's advisable to water early morning, before sun can damage plants and when said pests like to hide, especially true in containers and raised (enclosed) beds

I followed your method this year, I watered my garden only the two days I planted seeds in my garden . I have not watered my garden once since mother's day and my garden is going super well.

Hi, Anne! When I’m disappointed with my garden, it’s nice to listen to your rant and become aware of what I m driving for. I love your humor keep smiling, it’s contagious and much needed in times like these. Love to all!❤❤🤗😆🤣

Rainwater harvesting in dry areas is important and a great way to go.

No kidding not all rains are equal, this year seems like every rainfall comes in a thunderstorm with high winds & hail...but after three years of draught I'll still take it. Now to watch the rest of the video, because I'm going to be watering a friend's garden while they're away and I don't want anything dying on my watch!

If there's one thing I know, it's that I water too often. One of my joys of every day is going out to my food forest and giving some water to the plants. Even though I know I may do it too often, I also know that none of them are showing signs of over watering. This year I've been able to grow more food than ever, and I plan to reformat my garden layout to be better set up for next year with more food to harvest and less watering to do. I think next year will be the year I barely water at all by hand, and it'll be a fun time discovering what happens when I play less of a role in watering. Will I get more or less food? Will things grow better or worse?

90 day drought?... Oh yeah, that is called summer here 🤣

I feel special for having already watched (at publication) your "no one really watched this one" video mentioned at the end. Your attitude always brightens my day, and I really hope I can manage myADHD well enough to maybe one day take all your lovely gardening advice XD

Thanks for the excellent plant/soil science lesson Anne. My garden has completely transformed because of your lessons. I am teaching other homestead mothers all you have taught me as well. You are positively affecting many people and gardens through your channel. Xo

As a Senior Water Plant Operator, we are bound to laws by state to add certain chemicals to water. Depending on your state, you could call your local water department and they could tell you what chemicals they inject. Almost all states also send out an annual water quality report that also lists all facts about water. In NY, chlorine is mandatory regardless of testing it daily and having county test weekly. Other chemicals depend on the quality of water extracted either through aquifers or water sheds. But as you’ve stated correctly, keeping water open to the environment for 24 hours causes chlorine to dissipate and any tastes or odors are also burned off.

First off - love your content. I am completely in agreement with copying what nature does. It’s the best teacher. Live in the prairies of Canada. I think it’s considered semi-arid where we are. Even so, NOBODY believes in mulching here. They seem to think working harder is a virtue! (Good old Puritan values I guess.). My mom is a lazy gardener also and taught me to mulch but I never used enough so kinda never reaped the benefits. This got me excited about gardening again (for next year). And now I know my mistake - there’s never too much mulch! I agree about watering too much, makes the plants weak. They need to mimic what nature gives - periods of rain and drought. Makes them much more resilient. Same for my houseplants - if they can’t handle some drought (aka neglect), they don’t belong. LOL

In Ecuador there is a bush called Chilca Negra, once it gets growing it sheds so many dense leafs and small twigs below the bush that other plants start growing around it, the bush also can captivate the fine cloud mist on its leaves, and then directs the water on the outside of its stems, thus if we can not access wood much, what can we grow that grows fast to make our own mulch? replace our lawns with hemp or?

At Peace Valley Nature Center we used common items, a sponge was one of them, to teach principles about nature. Peace Valley is in suburban Philly/Allentown.

We here in northern California just don't get enough rainfall. I water and still my raised beds dry out too fast. Mulch does help. Your garden is amazing! So green and lush! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Thanks for putting up that discussion about treating water!!! I have that conversation a lot about KC water since it's treated with chloramine and not chlorine. Other than citric acid, I believe humic acid (humate) can also be used to detoxify chloramine. The nice thing about humic acid is you can make your own by just running water slowly through good compost and collecting the brown liquid awesomeness that drips out.

I just love your energy and all your information. One of the best channels ❤ love from south africa 😊

Real-deal garden advice and very descriptive. Ella is gorgeous !! I wish it would rain here !! ( Manteca, Ca. ) I definitely collect rain water when it actually rains. Why would anyone treat our water-sources ?? !!!!! I am glad July will be done as nearly every day here was 100 and over. I love the way that you glean knowledge from the forest of life, good job .

I love your garden videos, more than your animal ones- it’s just my preference, but all your videos are great. Thank you again for showing us your amazing methods for a beautiful and productive garden!