--I don't usually use mulch as it is a hiding place for slugs and voles
--I plant row crops and individual plants such as tomatoes in slight depressions so the water applied is concentrated above the root zone
--I hand water almost exclusively. I pump water from an old well on my property into garbage cans in my garden and hand water from them usually early morning
--I sometimes use porous tubing to water row crops--such as beans, etc
--The type of soil determines how much water you need---sandy soil need much more water than clay soils. My soil is clay type which holds moisture longer
--Too much water early in plant growth limits root development
--If you use raised beds--they tend to dry out sooner
~David