Watering your plants is something that may seem easy, right? Just add water! Surprisingly, there is a “best way” to water plants. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you water your plants efficiently:
- Water in the morning or evening. This will help make sure your plants can actually use all the water you’re adding to the garden; if you water in the heat of the afternoon, a lot of that water will evaporate before the plant can absorb it.
- Don’t get your plants wet. Try to water the soil itself, not the foliage of the plant. Many plants don’t like to have damp leaves, as that can encourage bacterial and fungal diseases. Some plants, like basil, will actually burn and die if you water the leaves when it’s sunny.
- Water a little bit at a time. If your bed is especially dry, adding too much water at once will just cause the water to run off, and not absorb into the soil. Water until you notice it starting to pool up just a little, give it time to soak in, and then add more water if needed.
- Use whatever tools are at your disposal for watering, but make sure you’re not using a high pressure hose that can damage your plants.
- Water when needed. Overwatering can cause nutrients to drain out of your soil, and cause too damp of an environment. Watering too little can cause your soil to become hard, cracked, and compact, and stunt your plants. Water whenever you notice the top half inch or inch of your soil is dry.
- Have fun! Spending time watering your plants is a great way to connect with your garden. Happy gardening!