Ideal watering interval for optimization on root vegetables?

[nao57]

So... I'm very curious what you guys think about the ideal watering interval (water every X hours) for optimization of root vegetable production? This includes potatoes, but also beets, carrots, and so on.

The reason I ask this... I've noticed there's watering for actually watering the plant, and then there's watering to keep the soil cool... so that what water it already has isn't lost by dehydration. There's also other facts that come into play. Like with pumpkins, squash, zucchini and so on, in my dry hot southwest climate, the leaves make them water hungry a lot where they like water more than once a day; like 2/day is very good. They look beaten up from 1 to 4 PM in high heat (low humidity) also. And tomatoes seem to do better with more watering intervals per day. Everything seems to suggest that if the vegetables grow above ground that they'd like a watering interval of several times a day.

But root vegetables... it feels like its a totally different scenario. I haven't had good luck with them yet. But I wonder... based on what I'm seeing with above ground vegetables, then what's the best adaptation for watering intervals on root vegetables? And you can have moisture in the ground even when the top of the ground is dry and barren.

***This also means... and part of the question also; like how many inches below ground do you typically go to where there's usually moisture retention for a few hours at least until the next watering? (This highly affects above!)***

I also hope by asking these kinds of questions that its beneficial to other people. I think probably other people are thinking the same things.

Amended; I am also in the southwest. Everything is hot and dry out here. This makes for things to be harder than back east where people have endless water. Humidity is low also.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hot and dry here too.

I water once or twice a week on pretty much everything. More often than not it's once a week due to my crazy work schedule.
I water deeply to encourage the plants to send roots deep.
I find the grow bags are needing daily watering to have anything left when I get home from work.

The Tomatoes are far less stressed once they send those roots down.
The squash wilts in the sun with an after dark rebound. In the shade it is doing far better. I have yet to see any blooms which is fine since they are still young.

 

[Chris2018]

A lot depends on what you're growing in, are you growing in the native ground, is it soil (with lots of organic matter) or is it just dirt, are you growing in raised beds, is that media fertile with good drainage?
The best thing I have found to slow down evaporation is having lots of organic matter in your soil and growing a good living mulch.

Something to keep in mind is that you can over water Fruits (tomatoes, peppers, melons etc.) and Vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cabbage etc.) and the plants cannot take up Oxygen and Nutrients, always check the soil a couple inches below the surface. The soil surface might be dry but down 3 or 4 inches can still be damp..