Vegetables need steady water more than lots of it. A plant that dries out and then floods splits its fruit and drops its flowers; one that gets the same amount every few days keeps growing.
Weekly water needs and how to measure them
Most beds want about 25 millimetres a week in summer, which is a full watering can per square metre. A tin left out in the bed shows how much the rain and the hose actually deliver.
When to water
Early morning is best: the leaves dry quickly and less water evaporates. Evening watering works too, but wet leaves overnight invite mildew on courgettes and cucumbers.
Mulch and drip lines
A layer of straw or grass clippings halves the water a bed needs. A drip line on a timer under the mulch puts the water at the roots and frees up the evenings.
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