My husband installed a drip irrigation hose with a timer throughout our vegetable garden. I don't know if it would be better to set it to water every morning 5 or 10 minutes or every so many days. What is the best practice for watering tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, cucumbers, and melons?

The best pratice is to set the system to water thoroughly and deeply (to a 4-6 inch depth) every 7 to 10 days. A good test to use to ensure that the roots have enough water is to take a screwdriver and insert it into the soil near the root system. If the screwdriver goes into the soil easily enough, you should have provided enough water.

This is however, only a rule of thumb. Heat, humidity, air movement, and soil drainage properties, as well as the size, age, and establishment of the plants will all affect the amount of water needed for your plants.