The Dos and Don'ts of Watering Plants - Bob Vila

How often should plants be watered? ... Water once or twice per week, using enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of about 6 inches each ... ExpertadvicefromBobVila,themosttrustednameinhomeimprovement,homeremodeling,homerepair,andDIY.Tried,True,TrustworthyHomeAdviceAboutBobNewslettersHow-ToCenterGetIdeasFindInfoWatchTVWinLaserToolsfromKapro!Lawn&GardenTheDosandDon’tsofWateringPlantsHow,when,andwhereyouwateryourgardenandhouseplantscancriticallyimpacttheirgreeneryandblooms.Readonforthebestwaystoensuresuccess.ByGlendaTaylor|UpdatedApr27,202112:53PMPhoto:istockphoto.comNomatterwhatcoloryourthumb,youlikelyalreadyknowthatallplantsneedwatertoreachtheirfullpotential—afterall,thatbasicknowledgegoesbacktointroductorymiddle-schoolscienceclass.Butwhatyoumightnotknowisthatincorrectwateringtechniquescanputplantsatriskfordiseaseandevenkillthem.Whetheryouwanttocultivateprettyoutdoorperennialsoryoujustboughtanewhouseplant,heedthesebestandworstpracticesforwateringplantsindoorsandoutandyou’llreaphealthy,happyspecimens.WateringOutdoorPlants1.DOhydrateplantsinthemorning.Photo:istockphoto.comThemostefficienttimetowateroutdoorflowersandvegetablesisbeforetheheatofthedaywhenthesoiliscoolandthewaterhasthebestchanceofseepingdowntotherootsoftheplantsbeforeevaporating.Wateringplantsearlywillensurethattheyhavesufficientstoreofmoisturebeneaththesoiltowithstandtheheatofahotsummerday.2.DON’Twatertoofrequentlyortoolittle.Especiallyduringhotweather,itmaybetemptingtowaterjustenough—andoftenenough—tokeepthesoildamp.Shallowsurfacewatering,however,discouragesdeeprootdevelopment.Instead,optforalessfrequentwateringroutinethatthoroughlysaturatesthesoil.Thismethodencouragestherootstoreachdeeplyforresidualwater,evenwhenthesurfaceofthesoilappearsdry.Thestandardruleofthumbistogiveyourflowersandvegetablestheequivalentofat1inchofwaterperweek(andasmuchasdoublethatamountinthepeakofsummer).3.DOwaterplantsatsoillevel.Directingwateratthebaseofyourplantsdeliversthehydrationrightwhereit’sneeded:theroots.Considerwindingasoakerhosebetweenplantsinaflowerorvegetablebedtosoakthesoilslowlyanddeeplyandensurehealthygrowth.Advertisement4.DON’Tusebroadcastsprinklers.Inadditiontosoakingtheplant’sleaves,whichcanincreasetheriskofafungaldisease,broadcastsprinklersaresimplyinefficient.Onahotorwindyday,muchofthewaterdistributedbythistypeofsprinklercanevaporatebeforeitevenreachestheplantandlesswatergoestothebaseoftheplant.5.DOwateroutdoorcontainerplantsatleastonceperday.Soilincontainergardensandflowerpotsdriesoutmorequicklythansoilinagardenplotorflowerbed.Thesmallerthecontainer,themorefrequentlyyouneedtowater.Soakthesoilincontainersinthemorning,and,ifthemercuryinthethermometerclimbsto90orabove,givethemanothersoakingintheafternoon.Alternatively,insertanautomaticplantwatererthatfeaturesahollowspikeandattachestoastandardplasticwaterbottle.Whenthespikeisinsertedinthepot,waterslowlyseepsintothesoil,offeringtheplantasteadysupplyofwater.Photo:istockphoto.com6.DON’Tforgetthattreesneedwater,too.Newlyplantedtreesandshrubsshouldbethoroughlysoakedwithwatertwoorthreetimesperweekforthefirstmonth.Afterthatperiod,waterweeklyduringtheirfirstgrowingseason.Establishedtreesandshrubs(whichareatleasttwoyearsold)onlyneedtobewateredonceeverytwoweeksduringthegrowingseasonwhenrainisscarce.7.DOuseawandtowatercontainerplants.Awateringwandextendsthereachofyourarm,allowingyoutodirectwateratsoillevelinoverheadhangingplantsandinshort,ground-levelflowerpotsonthegroundwithouthavingtostretchorstoop.You’llconservewaterbydirectingonlytheamountneededtothebaseoftheplantandyou’llsaveyourback.Advertisement8.DON’Twatercontainerplantswithajet-typespraynozzle.Pressurizednozzlesaregreatforwashingoffdrivewaysandsidewalks,butthespraythattheydelivercandamagetenderfoliageandblossoms.Itcanalsodisturbthesoilaroundtherootsofacontainerplant.Ifyoudon’thaveawateringwand,justremovethenozzlefromthegardenhose,hookthehoseintothehangingpotorcontainer,andletthewaterrunoutslowly.9.DOcheckmoisturelevelsGardenplantscansufferwhenthesoildriesout.Ontheflipside,theydon’tlike“wetfeet,”meaningtheyalsosufferiftheirrootsaresittinginwaterandnotgettingsufficientoxygen.Onahot,windyday,thesoil’ssurfacemayappeardry,whilethegroundbeneathisstillmoist,soit’sessentialtoperformaquickchecktoensureyoudon’toverwater.Keepawoodendowelhandyandinsertitafewinchesintothegardensoilandthenpullitoutandcheckit.Moistsoilwillsticktothedowel,butifitcomesoutclean,thesoilisdry,andit’stimetowater.10.DON’TRelyonRainMostgardenplants,flowers,andshrubsdobestwhentheyreceiveatleast1inchofwaterperweek,althoughtheymayneedmoreduringhot,dryspells.Rainisn’talwayssufficientatsupplyingenoughwaterforplantstothrive,sodon’tcountonittokeepplantshealthy.Instead,insertasimpleraingaugeinthegardenanduseittomonitortheamountofweeklyrainfall.Ifthegardengetslessthan1-inchofrain,supplementbywatering.Photo:istockphoto.comWateringIndoorPlants11.DOuseawateringcanforhouseplants.Tryingtowateraleafyhouseplantfromadrinkingglassorcarafeisjustaskingforwatertospilloutovertherimandontoyourtableorwindowsill.Notonlydoesawateringcan’slongspouteliminatespills,butitalsoallowsyoutopreciselydirectwaterrightatthebaseoftheplantevenifyou’rewateringplantsthathangoverhead.Advertisement12.DON’Twaterhouseplantswithtreatedsoftenedwater.Homewatersoftenersimpartsodiumintoyourtapwater,which,overtime,cannegativelyaffectthemineralmakeupofahouseplant’ssoil.Dependingonyourplumbing,yourwatersoftenermayconnectonlytothehotwaterfaucetsortoallthefaucetsinyourhome,bothhotandcold.Ifit’sthelatter(oryouaren’tsure),sticktofillingyourwateringcanatanoutdoorspigottominimizetheamountofsodiumyouintroducetothesoil.Photo:istockphoto.com13.DOchoosetherightsoilHouseplantswillbenefitfromanindoorpottingmixthat’smadefortheparticulartypeofplantbeinggrown.Avoidfillingindoorpotswithoutdoorgardensoil,whichcancontainpathogens,insects,andfungithatresultinplantdiseasesandcanevenfillthehousewithaninfestationofgnats.Optforasoillesshouseplantmixthatcontainsamixtureofpeatmossandperliteorvermiculite.Thesemixeswon’tpackdownsorootscanreachdeep,andtheyoftencomewithfertilizertoboostplantgrowth.14.DON’Tuseapottingmixthat’soverlywater-retentiveMosthouseplantsneedawell-drainedpottingmixthatdoesn’tremainsoggyforhours(ordays)afterwatering.Whenshoppingforanindoor,houseplantpottingmix,lookforproductsthatcontaineithercoconutcoir,vermiculite,orperlite.Allthreeingredientsareusedinpottingmixestohelpaeratethesoilandencouragedraining.Forthebestdraining,useapottingmixthatdoesnotcontainmorethan1partpeatmoss.15.DOcheckasoilmoisturegauge.Aninexpensivesoilmoisturegaugecostslessthan$20andyoucaninsertitdirectlyintothesoiltofindoutwhetherit’sdry,moist,orwetasmanyasseveralinchesdeepbytheroots.Largehouseplantsinsmallpotsabsorbwatermorequicklythansmallplantsinlargepots.Whenyouuseamoisturegauge,asopposedtofollowingawateringschedule,yourplantswillgetthewatertheyneed,whentheyneedit.AdvertisementPhoto:istockphoto.com16.DON’Tputhouseplantsinpotswithoutdrainageholes.Mosthouseplantsneedwell-drainedsoilinordertogrowandthrive.Ifwatercannotdrainoutthroughthebottomofthepot,therootsaresubjecttosittinginwaterandpotentiallyrotting.Checkthebottomofeachpottedhouseplantandrepotanywithoutdrainageholesintoamoreappropriatecontainerwiththem.17.DOwaterlessinwinterandmoreinspring.Duringthewinter,thedaysareshorterandindoorhouseplantsreceivelessambientlightthroughwindows.Asaresult,photosynthesis(theprocessinwhichaplantturnslightintofood)slowsandtheplantentersarestingphase,duringwhichitneedslesswater.Asspringapproaches,however,longerdayssignaltheplanttostartgrowing,andatthistime,itswaterneedsincrease.Adjustyourhabitsforwateringplantsaccordinglysoasnottocausedistressorthirst.18.DON’Tforgettodumpthewatercollectiontray.Whenwatering,excessH2Owilldrainintothecollectiontraybeneathyourhouseplantalmostimmediately,butdon’tpouritrightaway—theplantmayreabsorbsomeofitwithinthenext30minutes.Afterthat,goaheadanddump.Allowingaplanttositinstandingwaterincreasestheriskofrootrot,apotentiallydeadlydevelopmentfortheplant.19.DOwickwhileyou’reaway.Eventhehealthiesthouseplantswillsufferfromnotbeingwateredforaweekortwowhenthefamilygoesonvacation.Avoidsettingtheminthetuborsinkfilledwithacoupleofinchesofwater,ortheycouldperishfromwetfeet.Wickingisasimplewayofensuringtheplantgetsenoughwaterwithoutfloodingit.Placealargejarofwaternexttotheplant.Cutasectionofcottonropeorevenastripofabsorbentfabriclongenoughtoreachfromtheplanttothebottomofthewaterjar.Pokeoneendintothetopofthesoilandinserttheotherinthewaterjar.Theropeactsasawicktoslowlytransferwatertotheplantwhileyou’reaway.AdvertisementPhoto:istockphoto.com20.DON’Toverwater.Overwateringisoneofthemaincausesofhouseplantfailure.Houseplantnewbieshaveatendencytowaterhouseplantstoooften,thinkingthat’sjustwhattheyneed.Overwatering,however,increasestheriskofrootrotandfungaldisease.Ifyouseedroopystems,wiltingleaves,awhitishcoating(fungus),orfungalgnatsinthehome—peststhatthriveonconsistentlywetsoil—it’sagoodbetthatyou’rewateringplantstoomuch.Ontheotherhand,whenthebottomleavesonyourhouseplantdryoutanddropandedgesoftheleaveselsewhereontheplantbecomecrispandbrown,it’sprobablynotgettingenoughwater.Again,refertothesoilmoisturegaugeforthathappymedium.Photo:istockphoto.comFAQAboutWateringPlantsIndoorhouseplantsaddbeautyandbringatouchofnaturaldécortothehome,whileoutdoorgardenplantsenhancelandscapes.However,keepingthemhealthyandlushmeansgivingthemadequatewater.Thosenewtogardeningorkeepinghouseplantswilllikelyhavesomequestions.Howoftenshouldplantsbewatered?Wateronceortwiceperweek,usingenoughwatertomoistenthesoiltoadepthofabout6incheseachtime.It’sokayifthesoil’ssurfacedriesoutbetweenwaterings,butthesoilbeneathshouldremainmoist.Howmuchwaterdoplantsneedaday?Plantsdon’tneeddailywatering.Instead,waterdeeplybutlessfrequently.Deepwateringsallowthewatertoseepbeneaththeroots,whichencouragestherootstogrowdownward.Howdoyouproperlywaterplants?Thegeneralruleistowaterplantsatgroundlevelratherthanusingasprinkler,whichcanleavewateronthefoliage,increasingtheriskofharmfulfungalgrowth.Isitbettertowaterplantsordependonrain?Outdoorplantslovenaturalrain,butifitdoesn’trainatleast1inchperweek,consideringwateringtosupplyenoughmoistureforhealthyplantgrowth.AdvertisementFinalThoughtsInadditiontolightandoxygen,plantsneedwatertothrive.Goodwateringpracticeswillresultinhealthyplants—bothindoorsandout—thataddtoahome’sdécororlandscaping.Regularwateringisalsoessentialforproducinghealthyfruitsandvegetablesinthegarden.AdvertisementDisclosure:BobVila.comparticipatesintheAmazonServicesLLCAssociatesProgram,anaffiliateadvertisingprogramdesignedtoprovideameansforpublisherstoearnfeesbylinkingtoAmazon.comandaffiliatedsites.TAGS:HOWTOMAINTAINGROWGARDENINGMoreFromBobVila11WaystoMaketheMostofYourTown’sCurbsideCleanupDayTheDosandDon'tsofBuyingPlantsOnlineAdvertisementThisZZPlantCareRoutineisJustShyofTooEasy7TypesofPineTreesThatareGreatforHomeLandscapesTheDosandDon'tsofPlantingGroundCoverGrowingThesePlantsWillMosquito-ProofYourOutdoorSpaceHowNOTtoPlantaTreeonArborDayBestCrabgrassKillerBestMulchingBladesSquareFootGardeningBorderPlantsBestHangingPlantsHomemadeFertilizerforLawnsLawnFungusBestExpandableHoseBestSoakerHoseAboutBobNewslettersContactAdvertisingPrivacyPolicyTermsofUseDoNotSellMyPersonalInfoCopyright©2022ActonMediaInc.Allrightsreserved.