How To Water Plants in Your Yard: The Good, Bad and Ugly
Water is essential for all plants to thrive, as we learned in our first middle school science class. However, you may be surprised to learn that using the wrong watering methods might make your plants sick or even kill them. Read these 10 tips to keeping plants healthy and thriving throughout the year.
Hydrate your plants first thing in the morning!
Outdoor flowers and vegetables should be watered in the morning while the soil is still chilly and the water has a better chance of reaching the roots before evaporation. Watering plants early in the season will guarantee that they have enough moisture stored in the soil to endure the heat of a summer day.
Over-or under-water your plants.
When the weather is hot, it’s tempting to water only enough to keep the soil moist, but this is a mistake. Deep root growth is discouraged by shallow surface irrigation. Instead, use a less frequent watering schedule that fully saturates the soil. When the surface of the soil seems dry, this strategy stimulates the roots to search deeper for water. Give your flowers and veggies a quarter-inch of water a week in accordance with this general guideline (and as much as double that amount in the peak of summer).
The soil should be moistened, not soaked.
Plants’ roots receive optimal hydration when water is directed at their base. Soak the soil gently and deeply by threading a soaker hose between plants in a flower or vegetable plot.
Do not utilize sprinklers that can be sprayed over a large area.
Overhead sprinklers are not only ineffective, but they also wet the foliage, increasing the danger of a fungal disease. Much of the water dispersed by this sort of sprinkler might evaporate before it ever reaches the plant, and thus less water is sent to the plant’s root system on a hot or windy day.
At least once a day, water your outside container plants.
Dirt in flowerpots and container gardens dries up faster than soil in flower beds. The more frequently you water, the smaller the container. The soil in containers should be soaked in the morning and re-soaked in the afternoon if the temperature reaches 90 or more. Insert an automated plant waterer that has a hollow spike and connects to a regular plastic water bottle, for example. Water gently seeps into the soil when the spike is pushed into the pot, providing a consistent supply for the plant.
REMEMBER that trees require water as well.
For the first month, newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered thoroughly two or three times a week. During their initial growth season, water them once a week. During the growth season when rain is rare, established trees and shrubs (those at least two years old) only need to be watered once every two weeks.
To water container plants, use a wand.
An arm-extension watering wand makes it possible to water plants in the air and short, ground-level flowerpots on the ground without having to bend down or crouch down or lengthen your arm. You’ll save money and your back by directing only the quantity of water necessary to the plant’s base.
Don’t use a jet-type spray nozzle to water container plants.
While pressurized nozzles are fantastic for cleaning driveways and sidewalks, the spray they emit may harm delicate flora and blooming as well. In addition, it can cause damage to the soil around a container plant’s roots. Remove the nozzle from the garden hose, attach it to the hanging plant or container, and let the water trickle out gently instead of using a watering wand.
Control your moisture levels.
When the earth dries out, garden plants are at risk of suffering. On the other hand, they suffer if their roots are submerged in water and aren’t receiving enough oxygen. In order to avoid overwatering in the event of a hot, windy day, it’s important to examine the soil’s top to make sure it’s not dry underneath. Keep a wooden dowel ready and enter it a few inches into the garden soil and then draw it out and inspect it. To tell if the soil is wet or dry, look at the dowel. If it comes out clean, it’s time to water. A weekly watering need of at least one inch is ideal for the majority of garden plants but may need to be increased during hot and dry times.
You Can’t Rely on Rain.
Don’t rely on rain to keep plants healthy; it isn’t always sufficient in giving enough water. Install a rain gauge in your garden and use it to track the quantity of rain that falls on a weekly basis. Water the garden if it receives less than an inch of rain.