Although there are no strict rules of how often you should water plants, there are the best times and the not-so-good times of water.
This comes from various reasons, from the water drying out or your plants will be stood in waterlogged soil, which is bad.
Many plants are pretty hardy, so if you follow a few simple tips of when and how to water your plants, you should have a healthy garden no matter if you have grass, plants, or vegetables.
Here are two solutions to answer the age-old question, “When is the best time to water plants?”
The Very Best Time For Plant Watering
If you are the type of person who loves to get up early, this is good news, and it is another job you can put on your to-do list for the day.
Morning is the best time to water gardens, and it doesn’t matter what you are watering. It is the time of day which is crucial and beneficial.
The morning is so helpful to your plants that the temperatures are still cool, and the sun has not yet risen to a high position.
When you water your plants at this time, the water will have a chance to penetrate the soil and reach your plants’ root systems before there is any chance of evaporation from the warmer weather.
The second benefit is that your plants will be full of water in the heat of the day, and it will aid in their protection from the scorching sun. This also means you won’t be tempted to water them at the hottest part of the day. (Learn About the Best Mulch For Gardens)
The Second Best Time For Plant Watering
This is the opposite end of the day and is better for the people who are not the best early risers.
Once the sun starts dipping is the next best time you can water your gardens. The temperatures are still quite warm, and the water has a chance to soak in the soil before night falls.
It should be noted to aim for the soil rather than sprinkling water all over the plant’s leaves because this can cause disease.
Never Water at Night
Although you can water in the early evening, you should try never to water your plants at night.
The reason behind this is simple, and it is because there will be no evaporation. All the water will sink to the root level, and from here, your plants won’t be able to get any oxygen.
Plants that stand in waterlogged earth can catch the disease, and the roots tend to start rotting.
This can have a much worse effect on your plants than if you water in the middle of the day.
Watering Garden Tips
With the best time to water garden plants, and when not to water, it is time to offer up a few tips for watering.
Over Watering
This has the same effect as watering at night and is one of the biggest mistakes new gardeners make. It is easy to do, especially if water sprinklers are left running.
Signs of your plants being overwatered are:
- Leaves that look limp or squelchy
- Rotting beginning at the root or stem level. They feel soft and mushy.
- The tips of leaves start to brown
Watering Consistently
How much water do plants need varies, however as a useful guide, you can check the top inch of soil, and if this is dry, then your plants need watering.
This isn’t a hard rule, and it will be broken depending on your climate, and an inch of water per week is a good average. (Learn How To Get Rid Of Creeping Charlie Organically)
Water the Soil Not Leaves
When watering, you should aim to moisten the soil around your plants and not just sprinkle the leaves.
This will evaporate, and in the cases of plants that have larger leaves or foliage, it won’t land close to their roots.
Adding Mulch
One way to help preserve water retention in the soil around your plants is by adding a good two inches of mulch or compost.
This retains moisture in the ground by slowing down evaporation and letting nutrients seep into the soil.
Cutting Grass
If you have mowed the lawn and are wondering if it is time for watering your lawn, there is a quick and easy way to tell.
Dry grass will show your footprints after cutting grass, whereas if there are no footprints, this means your grass doesn’t need watering.
The same tips for the times of day apply for other outdoor plants, and you should aim to water your lawn in the morning or second best in the early evening.
Pot Plants
These can easily be made into self-watering planters, and then your plants will take water as they need it, and all you have to do is top up the reservoir when it starts to run down.
