With the heat of summer on the way it is important to know how to water garden plants efficiently to help them continue to thrive through the "dog days" of summer.
In my area summer is here in full force, a lesson I learned the hard way when a recent three day trip resulted in the loss of some of my container plants. The predicted rain did not arrive so three days in 90+ degrees spelled the end of several of the plants in my containers.
How often should plants be watered? How can we water more efficiently so we aren't needlessly wasteful of natural resources?
Generally speaking, most plants should be watered when the soil surface is dry, but before the plant begins to wilt. More frequent waterings will be needed in summer months, times of low humidity, and on windy days. Less frequent waterings will be needed in winter months, times of high humidity, and on still days.
You'll also want to try to do most of your watering in the morning becuase the lower temperatures mean less evaporation waste and the foliage will have time to dry before night sets in. If you have to water your plants at night take care not to wet the leaves, which can encourage fungus growth.
Since so much of the water usage in the average home goes towards landscaping and gardening needs it would be wise to learn to water more efficiently. Often rainwater can be collected and saved for watering containers and pots. Large mixed borders are often most effectively watered with a soaker hose or other irrigation system that waters at the soil level, cutting back on evaporated water loss.
Remember when watering your plants that clay soil absorbs water much more slowly than sandy soil so you'll need to apply the water slowly over a longer period of time to prevent run-off waste. Sandy soil, however, won't hold water as long and will need to be watered more often. Adding organic matter like mulch to your soil will improve the soil quality.
Plants absorb water from the root zone which extends beyond the bulk of the plant you see above the ground. Be sure not to water just under the leaves and branches, but extend the watering to the ground around the plant as well.
A final word on water wisdom. If you haven't yet applied mulch around your plants, this is the time to do so. Soil temperatures are warm now and 3 inches of mulch will help conserve water, extend the time between waterings, cut back on weeds (which steal water and nutrients from your plants) and cut back on evaporation loss.
