Soil should be watered only as much and as fast as the soil can absorb without runoff. To determine how quickly water moves through your soil, make a water percolating measuring devise from a soup can. First, cut the top and bottom out of the can. Fill the above ground part of the can with water. After an hour, read on the plastic ruler the amount of water that the soil has absorbed.
Sandy soil absorbs more than two inches of water per hour.
It is very porous, with large spaces between soil particles. Little water is retained and the sandy soil dries out quickly. Loam soil absorbs from .25 inches to 2 inches per hour. The soil is loose and porous and holds water quite well. Clay soil absorbs less than .25 inches of water per hour.