Should I Water?

We've had an interesting spring in Central Minnesota. With the rapid snow melt, some areas flooded. In my yard, we had a mini lake of melted snow and rain. Yet now we are under a burning ban, due to the dry, windy conditions. So this leads to the questions, should I water or not?

Here's what a gardener should consider: Is the soil dry on the surface? How deeply does the soil moisture go? Do I have good drainage in the dry area? When is rain predicted?

For me, I am not going to water what was under water since it is clay soil and retains moisture. Also, I am not going to water the grass.

What I am going to water are the raised beds on a south-facing slope. The soil seems dangerously dry, and I do not want to damage my strawberries and blueberry planted there.

I was lucky enough to hook up my rain barrel during the March thunderstorm, which filled it. I have a feeling that I will use up that water. Rain is predicted for Friday so I will hopefully restock my water supply then.

I've got bulbs and perennials peeking through the garden beds. Spring is definitely here.