Watering in the desert questions

[Changomango]

I am starting an outdoor grow op outside in the summer under a pinon tree. Ive got most of the logistics figured out but I just needed to know how much water the plants will need in the veg cycle, and flowering cycle. I'm pretty worried because I cant go to see them every day, infact I will probably only be able to go up there once or twice a week. I was thinking to save water I could put a black trash bag over the soil so that the hot sun will not steal all my water, but I'm still worried that the hot sun will roast my plants.(I live somewhere in New Mexico mind you, so it gets really hot a dry.)I also have worked what will hopefully work as a three day drip system.
Heres how it works. Get your water source(idk how much water I will need, its kinda what I want to learn from this) connect a hose to it. Then put the hose on a 1/2 Gallon per hour drip nozzle, then to make it 1/4 gallon per hour drip, connect another hose to the end of the nozzle and then put that into a 3 way splitter. So then that would be two of my plants getting 1/4 GPH of water. I was thinking this would work assuming no gravitational bias to one plant or the other during the splitting phase. I was wondering:
How much water does each plant need during Veg cycle and during the flowering cycle?,
How can I help my plants retain water better?
And general input would help a lot I have read a lot of the threads about outdoor grow but they are always in places that get water from natural sources and are not hot as hell.

 

[GreenLove]

Just use compost to 6-8" deep layer around base/drip line of plant to help retain moisture. You can amend the dirt with some vermiculite or sphagnum, possibly coco coir. There are quite a few options for helping keep the moisture in the soil and not evaporating in between your watering times.

As far as plant usage and how much water you need....that will just be something to play by ear. Another method may be to use an olla (oy-yah) unglazed terracotta pots you bury in te ground next to your plant and fill the olla with water. The water then seeps through the unglazed pottery and goes directly to your plants roots. Its another one of these old spanish/native american tricks. Try this link. olla Southwest Gardener Newsletter

I have never used them myself. But then again, I am home to monitor water needs during the hotsummer months here in the desert.

 

[Jack DaRipper]

what they said ^

 

[QUEENBUD00]

better way to see plant every day...binoculars man...first sign of wilt water buddy.. I live in the High Desert of southern california,temps here can reach 120 and somedays stay close to that everyday. my girls are contiunally exposed to the sun all summer.I have then deep in 5 gal black plastic landscaping pots.stones in bottom,regular potting mix with chunks of bark for mulch for retaining moisture. I water 2 times a week,sometimes more...drip line...And I have never lost any plants due to the desert sun.I find that when i transplant in spring to lower the plantlets almost up to the second trip of growing leaves...this way each plant will develope a substantial rootsystem and ya know roots...... allways searching for moisture,dudes....

 

[QUEENBUD00]

some of the best weed is grown in the desert

 

[SnowBender]

what about a treegator under the mulch?