Volumetric soil moisture content was measured with hand held time delay reflectrometry (TDR) probes (HydroSense, Campbell Scientific Ltd., Shepshed, UK) at five locations in every plot, to a depth of 12 cm. Soil temperature was measured to a 10 cm depth with a hand held sensor. The measurements were taken on each watering day before water was added, that is, one week after the previous watering. Therefore, the data show the minimum impact of the watering treatment. Due to a sensor malfunction there was a gap in the soil moisture records for August.