Water, Water, Water

We need to talk about watering the garden. I have been reading different areas on the web about gardening. One big disagreement I have with many gardeners is the amount of water needed to have a plentiful garden. I read a few articles that said once per day was plenty, and then another that said something about making sure the soil dries out between watering.
Depending on the weather, once per day may be okay. If that's all you have time to do, don't worry your garden will still grow, it just may not produce as well as it could. I know not everyone can spend as much time as I do in the garden, so if I tell you I water 3 times a day, you may think I'm nuts. But, 3 times daily is my routine unless it rains or for some other reason I feel it doesn't need it.
The statement I read about letting the soil dry out in between came from someone that works full-time at a chain home improvement store as a garden specialist. I was astonished when I read to let the soil dry out. I do not let my soil get "dried out" ever. Vegetables need a lot of water to grow properly.
Why so much water? Let's consider what a vegetable is made of. Vegetables are made up of anywhere from 80-95% water. Cucumbers and other water-logged veggies are something like 95-97% water. They need lots of water to grow correctly because that is what they are, water.
So, the moral of this post is not to be stingy with your water. Your veggies will love you for the water and you will love them back once harvest time comes. No one wants to eat a dried out cucumber or a tomato with no juice in it. Keep your soil moist, just don't flood them out.

Remember, Mother Earth smiles when you garden!