A garden 40 ft by 14 ft, how long should you water it in minutes?
The garden need 2"-3" of water a week, which includes any rainfall you may get. How long you should water varies on your watering source (i.e. sprinkler, hose, etc.) and the water pressure. If using a sprinkler, set up a glass or jar and watch it until it has filled up with 2-3" of water and that is how you will know the garden has enough water. If you are just watering with the hose (by hand or soaker), fill up a pan with water and count how long it takes to fill it up with 2-3" and that will be how long it takes to water.
I live in a drought stricken part of south Texas and am looking for ways to use all resources for watering my garden and my yard. Most pump the "runoff" from the well back into the brackish part of the Nueces River, which is adjacent. Would using this runoff build up any metals that would later be detrimental to the soil and would it be suitable for the watering the garden?
As long as it is from the same source you drink from, it should be safe for your plants. It is very common for people in drought areas to turn to using "grey" water, which is basically the water they just used for washing dishes, bathing, etc in the house. This sounds like it is no different and should not be harmful to the plants.
The only thing I can think you will want to check is when you say filtered, is the water also softened? Softened water can cause issues with plants. This article can explain:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/softened-water-and-plants.htm
Can watering the leaves of outdoor plants and trees kill the plant or tree?
Not usually, unless perhaps it is done during the hottest times or most intense sunlight time of the day. The water droplets can act like magnifying glasses and burn the leaves, thus taking away some of the ability of the tree or plant to thrive as it should. I like to wash the foliage of the plants, shrubs, roses and trees as I water them in the early morning or in the evening once the temps have cooled down. It helps open the pores on the leaves and allow them to function better.
I have just planted about 20 shrubs and about 20 small trees. How much water should I give them? Sometimes their leaves are dropping. When I check them, they're dry for the top 3 to 4 inches. Other times they are dropping because they are too wet. Please advise.
This article should help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/watering-newly-planted-tree.htm
We are having a problem agreeing that even if it is best to water plants early morning where they will use the water better, that if your plants have lost most of the their turgor pressure shouldn't you water them no matter what time it is?
Ideally, the best time to water is either early morning or early afternoon. But, if you have forgotten to water them and they are drooping, ASAP is best.
Explain how an error on the low side of irrigation would affect the soil fertility - IPM efforts?
Too little irrigation will stress the plant and possibly cause issues with IPM. A plant stressed for any reason is more susceptible to pests and disease. Soil fertility should not be affected by too little irrigation. If the plant is stressed by lack of water, it will not be able to use feertilizer correctly. If the plant is wilted, fertilizer could burn root tips.
We recently purchased a home in the Phoenix area that has both a drip watering system and a water softner. I want to determine if the drip irrigation system is using the softened water or bypassed water. All the plumbing is inside the walls and ceilings and I don't want to tear into the house to map the plumbing system. I was thinking I could perform some kind of test but have been looking online for a clue on how to do this and have found nothing. Is there an easy way to determine this?
Check with your local water department or agricultural extension office to see if they can test your sample. Check Amazon or eBay...or your local garden center for a test kit.