Watering by the numbers
How much water vegetables really need, how rain counts toward it, and how to check instead of guess.
7 min · beginner
You will learn
- Apply the inch-per-week rule with rainfall counted
- Water deeply instead of frequently
- Verify soil moisture by touch
The inch-per-week baseline
Most vegetables want roughly 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, counting rain. An inch of water soaks about 6 to 8 inches into loose soil, which is where most feeder roots live. Farmur subtracts recent rainfall from each crop's target before nudging you.
Deep and rare beats shallow and often
Light daily sprinkles keep roots near the surface where they cook in summer. Watering deeply once or twice a week trains roots downward, which makes plants sturdier between waterings.
The finger test
Push a finger two inches into the soil near the plant. Damp means wait. Dry means water. This thirty-second check beats any schedule, because pots, beds, and weather all drain differently.
Morning is the right time
Watering early gives leaves time to dry, which cuts fungal disease, and gets moisture to roots before midday heat pulls it away. Evening watering is second best; midday loses the most to evaporation.