6 Watering Techniques for Your Garden

Focus on the roots

The roots of the plant are what needs access to water and nutrients in order to help your plants grow. Watering deeply and directly at the base of the plant can help the root of the plant have easier access to the water. As a result? A happier, nourished plant that’s ready to thrive..

Water early in the morning

Watering your garden early in the morning, especially in the summer, is the best way for your plants to soak up water without having to worry about evaporation.

During the early morning, the sunlight is not as strong compared to other times of the day, thus giving your plants the time they need to soak the water into its roots before losing some of that water from stronger, harsher sunlight later on in the day.

Given that the ground is cooler in the morning, the leaves and stems in your garden will also have more time to dry before the evening, preventing the risk of fungi or bacteria.

Pay attention to the soil

One of the best indicators for determining whether or not it’s a good time to water your garden is simply by paying attention to the soil. No need for any fancy tools or processes to do this—checking with your hand is all it takes.

If the soil appears to be dry at the surface, use your hand to check if it’s still dry just a few inches down. If so, this is a sign that your plant needs to be watered. If not, you can wait an additional day to prevent the risk of overwatering. This tip applies for all lawns, gardens, and plants.

Mulch, mulch, mulch

When it comes to helping your garden and outdoor plants retain their moisture, mulch is a gamer-changer. Mulch reduces the chance of runoff as well as evaporation from the soil. It keeps the soil cool, and keeps all the moisture in your plant. After all, we want every single drop of moisture to count!

Mulching can also lower the chance of your garden or plants from developing unwanted weeds. It’s crucial to apply this step from your lawn and garden to your container and potted plants.

Only water when you need to

Sure, we all know that watering plays a crucial role in maintaining happy and healthy plants, but is there ever a point where watering can become a bit too much? There actually is.

One mistake that a lot of gardeners can make when it comes to watering is watering far too often without taking into account if it’s actually needed. There are a lot of factors that can affect the need to water including the temperature, amount of sunlight and the condition of the soil.

Overwatering can affect root growth, and cause you to waste a lot more water (and effort), than is needed. Pay attention to dry spells and soil conditions to determine whether or not you need to water first before actually doing so.

Give new plants some special attention

Whether you have a new hanging plant, basket plant, or a new addition to your garden, they will likely require more frequent watering compared to plants that you’ve been nourishing for longer periods of time.

During the stages of a new plant in your garden, they’ll often take time to fully establish compared to the other plants in your garden that have been getting consistent water and more rainfall throughout the year.

During the new stage, putting in some extra work to giving your plants frequent watering will allow them to build a solid foundation so that they can continue to thrive.