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    Beginner Lessons

    The Beginner Lessons form the foundation with a sound overview of the core concepts of food production.

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    The Intermediate Lessons allow students to experiment and prove the core concepts.

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    The Advanced Lessons give students an opportunity to apply what they've learned in the previous levels.

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    Seed Starting Curriculum

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    What is a Food Desert?

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    The Difference Between Rainwater and Tap Water

    Not all water is created equal especially when we're talking about the health and development of plants and people.

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Thirst Quencher

Thirst Quencher

Determining When to Water Your Plants
Lesson: 2.3
Level:
Beginner
Station: Soil Management
Format: Essential Skill
Rating:
Lesson 2.3 Thirst Quencher

Lesson Overview

Overwatering is one of the most common issues in gardens everywhere. In this lesson, students will learn techniques for testing the soil to determine if it's time to water and how much to apply.

Goals

  • Identify when it’s appropriate to water
  • Describe multiple ways to determine if it is time to water

Outcomes

Students will test the soil for moisture in order to assess the need for water.

Teaching Primer

Science plays a major role in growing edible plants but there is an art to it as well. Not all aspects of the gardening process are easily reduced to a scientific formula, at least not for the average gardener in the heat of the process. Sometimes it’s about feel and the various visual cues that inform the process.

That is often the case when trying to determine when to water and how much moisture is needed or appropriate. Of course, there are scientific instruments, like the moisture meter, that help farmers determine when to water. But most use their intuition, and a few tricks, to determine when the plants need a good soaking.

Over time, all good gardeners settle into a rhythm when they “feel” their way through the process. Their insights and observations guide them all the while drawing on past experiences. Of course, knowing how to gauge moisture using the finger test never hurts either.

watering the raised planters

Teach the Teacher

  • When to Water Plants
  • Bright Agrotech DIY Flood Table

Tools & Materials

  • Watering cans or Squeeze bottles
  • Raised planters
  • Moisture Meter

Vocabulary

  • Soaking
  • Wilted
  • Succulents
  • Absorption

Method

Introduction (10 minutes)

Begin the lesson by describing the moisture needs of various plants. Describe what a proper level of moisture in rich soil looks and feels like. Then demonstrate how to properly water plants to achieve the deep soaking that produces the proper level of moisture for the plants.

Activity (20 minutes)

Gather the Students around the raised planters and have them perform the finger test in different locations to determine if it requires watering. If it does, have them water the plants and retest that location a few minutes later.

Discussion (10 minutes)

How can we use visual cues to determine if we might need to water? What else can we do (or are we already doing) to help maintain the proper moisture in the raised planters? What might happen if we don’t water enough? What if we water too much?

Assessment (5 minutes)

Use the following questions to assess the Students before and after the lesson. Tally the responses of the group in the Assessment Tracking Log for comparison:

  • By a show of hands, how many of you can explain how to determine if plants need to be watered?
  • Now that you know how to test the soil for moisture, how many of you think you could test the soil on your own?

Related Lessons

Give the Intermediate or Advanced lessons a try now that you’ve completed the Beginner Lesson!

This lesson, and all other lessons on this website, are intended for use by teachers in the classroom. These lessons are protected by US and International copyright laws. Reproduction or distribution of lesson content, supporting materials, or digital creative is prohibited with written permission from Modern Steader LLC.

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