Your elementary school science class surely taught you one simple fact: all plants, regardless of hue, require water in order to grow properly. However, you may be surprised to learn that using the wrong watering methods might make your plants sick or even kill them. There are some best and worst techniques for watering plants indoors and out that you should keep in mind if you want to grow beautiful outdoor perennials or you just acquired a new houseplant.
Taking Care of Plants in the Yard
1 – The morning is the best time to water plants.
Before the sun gets too hot, when the soil is still cool and the water has a better chance of getting to the roots before evaporating, is the optimum time to water your outside flowers and veggies. Plants will be able to resist the heat of a hot summer day if they have an adequate supply of water stored beneath the soil.
2 – DON’T water excessively or infrequently.
When the weather is hot, it’s tempting to water only enough to keep the soil moist. Deep root development is thwarted when water is applied at a shallow depth from the surface. You should instead choose a watering schedule that is less frequent but more thorough. Even though the soil appears dry on the surface, this technique encourages the roots to seek for any remaining water deep inside the soil. At least one inch of water should be applied to your flowers and vegetables every week (and as much as double that amount in the peak of summer).
3 – Do not water your plants above the earth.
Providing hydration to your plants’ roots is as simple as watering them from the bottom up. Soak the soil gently and deeply by threading a soaker hose between plants in a flower or vegetable bed.
4 – Broadcast sprinklers should not be used.
Broadcast sprinklers are not only ineffective, but they also wet the foliage, increasing the danger of a fungal disease. Much of the water that is sprayed by this sprinkler type can evaporate before it even gets to the plant, so less water gets to the root zone when it’s hot or windy out.
5 – DON’T forget to give your outdoor container plants a daily drink.
Garden plots and flowerbeds have soil that dries out more slowly than container gardens and flowerpots. As the size of the container decreases, so does the frequency with which you must rehydrate. Put soil in pots and water them first thing in the morning, and then again if the thermometer rises to 90 degrees or higher in the afternoon. Insert an automatic plant waterer with a hollow spike and a normal plastic water bottle. It takes time for the water to penetrate into the soil, but the plant gets a continual supply of water from the spike.
6 – Keep in mind that trees, too, are dependent on water.
For the first month, newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered thoroughly two or three times a week. During their initial growing season, water them once a week. During the growing season, when rain is rare, established trees and shrubs (at least two years old) only require watering every two weeks.
7 – Make sure you don’t miss a single watering by using 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 stretch your arm. Your back will thank you, and you’ll save water by directing only what’s necessary to the plant’s roots.
8 – Don’t use a jet-type spray nozzle to water container plants.
However, the spray from the pressurized nozzles can harm delicate vegetation and blossoms when used to clean driveways and sidewalks. A container plant’s roots may be disturbed as a result. Using the garden hose, remove the nozzle and attach the hose into the hanging pot or container and let the water to slowly drain out of the container.
9 – Verify the amount of moisture in the air.
When the earth dries out, garden plants can suffer. The downside is that they don’t like “wet feet,” which means their roots aren’t getting enough oxygen. A quick check to make sure you haven’t overwatered is vital on a hot, windy day. The soil’s surface may appear dry, but the ground beneath may still be damp. Check the soil depth with a short wooden dowel inserted a few inches into the ground. To tell if the soil is wet or dry, look at the dowel. If it comes out clean, it’s time to water.
10 – Don’t rely on the rain!
A weekly watering of at least one inch is recommended for most garden plants, flowers, and shrubs, although they may require more during hot, dry times. Avoid relying solely on rain to supply your plants with the water they need to thrive. Install a rain gauge in your garden and use it to track the quantity of rain that falls on a weekly basis. You should water the garden if it just receives a half-inch of rain.
Taking Care of House Plants
11 – If you have houseplants, make sure to water them with a watering can.
In order to water a leafy houseplant from a glass, you’ll have to risk spilling the water onto your table or windowsill, which is not ideal. Watering plants that hang above your head doesn’t have to be a hassle thanks to a watering can’s long spout that allows you to precisely target the base of the plant.
12 – Don’t use softened water to water your houseplants.
Household water softeners add sodium to the water supply, which can have an adverse effect on the mineral composition of the soil in your houseplants over time. Your water softener may just be connected to the hot water taps in your home, or it may be connected to all of your home’s faucets, hot and cold. When in doubt, use an exterior spigot to fill your watering can to reduce the quantity of sodium you’re putting into your soil.
13 – DO choose the right soil
It’s best to use an indoor potting mix that is specifically designed for the type of plant you’re trying to grow. You should not use outdoor garden soil to fill indoor plant pots since it may include pathogens, insects, and fungus that cause plant illnesses and potentially infest the home with gnats. Peat moss with perlite or vermiculite can be used to make a soilless houseplant mix. They don’t compact, allowing roots to sink deeper, and they often contain fertilizer to help plants develop faster.
14 – Potting mix that is too water-retentive should be avoided.
After watering, most houseplants require a well-drained potting mix that doesn’t remain damp for hours (or even days) afterward. Look for potting mixes that contain coconut coir, vermiculite, or perlite when purchasing an indoor houseplant potting mix. Three elements in potting soil are utilized to help aerate and drain the soil. Use a potting mix that does not contain more than one part peat moss for the optimal drainage.
15 – A soil moisture gauge should be checked.
For less than $20, you can get a soil moisture gauge that can be inserted straight into the soil to find out if it’s either dry, moist, or wet up to several inches deep by the roots. The water absorption rate of large houseplants in tiny pots is higher than that of smaller houseplants in larger pots. Your plants will get the water they need, when they need it, if you utilize a moisture gauge instead of a watering schedule.
16 – Avoid using containers with no drainage holes to house plants.
Soil that is well-drained is essential for most houseplants to develop and thrive. In a pot that does not let water to drain out of the bottom, the roots are at risk of rotting. The bottom of each potted houseplant should be checked for drainage holes, and any that are missing should be relocated to a more appropriate container.
17 – Don’t water as much in the winter, and then up the ante in spring.
Winter brings shorter days and lower levels of ambient light for indoor houseplants. A decrease in water demand is the result of a decrease in the rate of photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into nutrients. The longer days of spring, on the other hand, tell the plant to begin developing, and its water requirements rise at this time. Make necessary changes to your watering practices to ensure that your plants do not suffer from lack of moisture.
18 – The water collection tray must be emptied.
In order to avoid overwatering your houseplant, you should wait 30 minutes before pouring the surplus water into the collection tray beneath your plant. After then, it’s time to get rid of it. Root rot, a potentially lethal condition, can occur if a plant is left in standing water for an extended period of time.
19 – While you’re away, wick.
As even the healthiest of houseplants succumb to a week or two of neglect while the family is away, so too will they. They could die from wet feet if you put them in the tub or sink that is only a few inches deep. Using a wick is a simple approach to make sure that the plant receives adequate water without being overflowed. Make sure the plant is watered with a large jar. It’s best to cut the length long enough to reach the bottom of your water jar from the plant’s stem to its root. Insert one end into the dirt and the other into the water jar, and you’re ready to plant. While you’re away, the rope functions as a wick, slowly transferring water to the plant.
20 – Don’t over-water your plants.
There are many factors that contribute to the death of houseplants. People who aren’t familiar with houseplants have a propensity to overwater them, thinking that’s exactly what they need. Root rot and fungal disease are more likely to occur if you overwater your plants. Because wet soil is ideal for fungal gnats, droopy stems, wilted leaves, and white coating (fungus) are all telltale signs that you’re overwatering your plants.
Bottom leaves of your houseplant will dry out and fall off, while the edges of other leaves may turn brown as a sign that it isn’t getting enough water. Again, the soil moisture gauge is the best place to look for that sweet spot.
Lastly, some words of wisdom
Besides light and oxygen, plants require water in order to grow. Plants that are well-watered both inside and outside a home can enhance the aesthetics of a property’s interior or landscape. It is also important to water your garden on a regular basis in order to ensure the health of your plants.
