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Have you recently taken gardening as a hobby, or moved into a new home and wondered how often to water garden plants? If yes, you are in the right place.
The first thing to remember is that no matter how much you spend on creating this green haven or how immaculate you keep it, a garden cannot survive without adequate watering. This post will give you some details about how and when you should water your garden.
How Often Should You Water Garden Plants?
Well, there are two types of gardens people usually have at home. Let us have a look at how frequently to water each garden.
Garden in the Ground
Your garden requires at least an inch of water per week. You can use this gardening tip as a bare minimum for weekly watering. Most people like to give their plants at night. This should be done once a week.
Giving your plants plenty of water is a sustainable way to encourage the roots to grow deeper. But keep in mind, daily watering can leave the roots shallow. Water deeply once a week for deeper roots. The deeper the roots, the better your plant or tree will anchor to the ground.
In case you wish to gauge how much Mother Nature is watering plants in your garden, use a rain gauge. This will help you measure the exact water your garden gets each week. Another simple trick is to stick a spade or your finger inside the ground and check if the moisture in the ground is 4 to 6 inches deep.
Container Garden
Container gardens are considerably smaller in size compared to a full-scale garden in the backyard. They offer a good landscape design but can dry out faster. In hot weather or during heat waves, the best practice would be to water your container garden daily.
If you wish the soil in the container garden to hold the moisture for longer and prevent quick evaporation, use potting soil. This contains organic ingredients or coconut coir as a sustainable and eco-friendly option, allowing your soil to retain water.
When is the Best Time to Water Garden Plants?
You can actually water your garden any time of the day. However, the best time for gardening and watering plants is in the morning. This can be any time before 10 am or before the sun is at its full strength.
The temperatures are much cooler in the morning. This gives the garden soil enough time to soak in as much water as possible before evaporating. Furthermore, hot temperatures during the day can cause the vegetables, leaves, or fruits to dry off in case they get wet while you water the garden. If you cannot do it in the morning, then the evening is the second best time to water your garden.
How to Know If You Under-water Your Garden?
Your plants may wilt during the hot temperature during the day. However, they will bounce back as the evening approaches. If that does not happen, you can check your soil to see if it is dry past your second knuckle. If the soil is dry, you need to add another watering session to your watering schedule.
How to Know If You Overwater your Garden?
Overwatering your garden can also result in your plants wilting because your roots get waterlogged. You can check the soil and see if it is nicely moist, soggy, or wet. If your plants’ leaves are turning yellow or getting spots or blisters, it is time to stop watering and let the plant recover.
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Plant Watering Tools
In order to water your garden, you can use various equipment. These include
- Watering can – make sure to use one with a long spout so you can direct water to the base of the plant. It is best never to water from the top.
- Watering wand – this can attach to a hose and help you water multiple container gardens easily. A watering wand is also handy if you have hanging plants or wish to reach a deep garden and plants hidden before other plants.
A tip when using a watering wand: when using a watering wand, make sure to gently shower water on the soil without splattering any water on the leaves. This can spread soil-borne fungus or disease onto our plants. A high-powered jet setting or sprays is a big no-no.
If you often find yourself overwatering the plants, you can also invest in an electronic soil moisture meter. This is an inexpensive tool that will help determine when the garden soil needs water or when it can wait.
Conclusion
Simply follow the above-mentioned gardening tips for watering plants. However, it would be best if you remembered that these are general tips. Suppose you are living in an area that experiences extremely hot temperatures. In that case, you can add a couple of water cycles while ensuring that you do not overwater or underwater the soil.
