The most common reason plants and gardens fail to thrive is lack of water. Much like our own bodies, water is at the very essence of a plant’s need.

If you don’t get enough water, you get thirsty and suffer. If you drink too much water, you get sick and feel bad. That’s exactly the way it works with plants. The better you meet your plant’s water needs, the better it performs:  just like you.

Here are a few tips and tools on watering so your plants and gardens will thrive.  

Your Finger:  It’s the best way to tell if a plant needs water.   

Pull the mulch away from the drip line of the plant with your finger to get to the soil. The drip line is how far out the branches and leaves extend from the plant. Insert your finger one to two inches into the soil. If soil seems damp or moist, there’s sufficient water. If the soil feels dry or is hard to penetrate, it needs water.

Proper Way to Water.

 Plants prefer to be soaked slowly. The slower you apply water, the better the soil and the plant can absorb the water. Imagine trying to drink a glass of water in one big gulp. It would be messy and you’d probably still be thirsty if you only got one gulp. That’s how a plant feels. 

To water properly, run the hose at less than half pressure near the base or stem of the plant. Allow the hose to run until the water puddles around the plant and takes more than 10 seconds to drain.

The best time to water is always early morning before it gets too hot and the water evaporates. Plants are more receptive to water during the morning dew and the heat throughout the day will help evaporate what water is left. Water that sits on the leaves or around the plant too long can lead to disease.

The frequency in which you water your plants depends on several factors, such as soil type, sun exposure, ambient temperature, amount of rain fall, and of course, the type of plant. The best advice in this case is to keep the tags of those plants. The plant tags will supply you with information for each of your plants.

Watering when it rains.

Because plants absorb water through their roots and not their foliage, rain rarely supplies sufficient water to your plants. Particularly during the hot, dry summer, your plants need more water. Always the best answer to determine whether or not your plant needs water is to use your finger to check the soil.  

Over or Under Watering?

If it’s not fall, leaves that turn yellow are one of the immediate signs of stress, and it’s caused by either over water or under watering.  Use your finger to check what the plant needs.  Don’t just assume the plant needs water and make the fatal mistake of watering the plants.

When you over water plants, leaves become dark and wilted, usually starting at the tip. To fix this, let them recover by not watering until the soil has dried out. Then, get back on track by always testing the soil with your finger before watering.

When you underwater your plants, the leaves become dry and crunchy. Most plants turn yellow to brown as it shows the stress of not enough water. If the plant’s watering needs have been neglected, do not try to save it by over watering.  Give it some water and slowly get it back on track using the finger test.

Be sure to remove any distressed leaves.   This will encourage new growth and make the plant look much better.

Pay attention to your plants and the soil, and you’ll learn when a plant needs water and when it has enough.  Master this technique and you’ll have a beautiful garden!

Tools to make watering simpler.

Drip Irrigation systems, such as Proven Winners WaterWise Kit, allow you to run water lines around your yard and garden to the base of each of plant. The system can be connected to a timer that will automatically release water whenever necessary and for a pre-determined amount of time.  

Another great watering tool is soaker hoses. There are two types of soaker hose:  The Andrews soaker hose that is great for watering lawns and appears to be more of a sprinkler; and the weeping soaker hose which is the more traditional soaker hose that slowly seeps water and can be placed underneath a nice layer of mulch.

Visit English Gardens and talk to one of our associates for more information.