If there were one thing I wish I could predict, besides the next Big Game numbers, it would be the rain pattern for the year.

Most watering is inefficient. Water goes everywhere, some on the plants, some on the ground around the plant, but mostly in areas where it really doesn't benefit the plant. People don't care how they water or when. It's just another tedious chore.

Now some of you probably don't water at all. You may have a cactus garden. Not unheard of, just rare. You may be on well water, and you just can't afford to waste water on the plants. Others just don't want to spend the time and money on watering.

When you use a sprinkler, rule number one is to avoid wetting the foliage. Well, that's rather difficult, especially when watering a lawn. Impossible is a more apt word.

It's the same rule when using a watering can or hose. Avoid getting the leaves wet. Wet leaves can lead to lots of diseases, especially if you water at night.

Rule number two is to make sure you supply an inch of water to the soil, so it is wet at least 8 inches deep. Many people, but probably not you, think that just 20 minutes with the sprinkler on does the trick. Wrong. It takes anywhere from 90 to 150 minutes to put on an inch of water.

Rule number three is to put the water where the plants need it.

My watering has taken on a different aspect of late, just because I'd rather spend my money on something other than water. Like more plants that need watering. It can be a vicious cycle.

About 10 years ago, I purchased my first drip irrigation hose. It was a thick black tube that oozed water out when connected to the faucet. It looked almost like it was sweating.

That was the first one. Since then, I've probably bought 10 or 15 drip irrigation hoses and probably damaged two-thirds of them. More about that later.

Some of the hoses don't sweat or ooze, but send a tiny spray of water out of a pin-sized hole. If you were a gnome or leprechaun, you might use it for a shower, but that's about it.

With drip irrigation hoses, you place the hose where the water needs to be. In most cases, that's where the roots are and not right at the stem or trunk. That way you can water just where you need it and not in the areas you don't. The hoses are flexible enough that you can weave them in and among the plants.

In fact, that's part of the fun of laying the hoses. You can have your child put the hoses down, taking care not to step on the plant.

Some of my gardening friends have connected more than one hose together. Two is my limit, though I could snake 10 or more together. It's just that the water pressure doesn't quite produce the same amount at the end of the tubes as the beginning. The plants at the end are short changed. Of course, if they don't require that much water, then you have succeeded.

With drip irrigation hoses, you can water any time of the day since the foliage doesn't get wet. For a hose that shoots a little tiny spray up, turn it over.

You probably will have to leave the water on for more than the 90 to 150 minutes. The drip irrigation system, while much more efficient, is slower. Since you are watering just the area around the plant, it may actually take less time and cost less.

Since most hoses aren't that attractive, they can be covered with mulch. Therein lies one of the problems.

I keep forgetting to check where the hose is before jabbing my shovel into the soil. The hoses usually end up sliced and the birds scatter from the trees when they hear all the expletives. Duct and electrical tape are only short-term fixes.

A smart, careful person will always check before digging and move the hose out of the way.

Some people coil up their drip hoses for the winter. I just make sure both ends are open and the water can drain out. The hoses haven't balked and the ones that aren't sliced are ready to go in the spring.

David Robson is an Extension Educator, Horticulture, at the Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois Extension. You can write to Robson in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: (217) 782-6515. E-Mail: drobson@uiuc.edu

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