We’ve all been there. You’re staring at your plants; some are doing great and some are, well, on a one-way ticket to Compostville. What happened? You’ve been watering all the plants the same amount, at the same time, at the same frequency. How could it be that some are doing better than others?

The reason is that not all plants need the same type of watering, and given that there are numerous variables to consider, two of the same plant might have different outcomes depending on those variables. When I say “types” of watering, I mean the a.) amount of watering, b.) frequency of watering, c.) time of day of watering, and d.) the specific instrument you use to water. Using these categories, let’s look at some variables that should alter the way you water.

The Three Variables of Watering

Soil

1.)    Soil – As mentioned here, the type of soil you have should affect your watering habits. Sand soils are fantastic at draining water, but are extremely poor at holding moisture (and nutrients). By contrast, clay soils provide poor drainage, but are great at holding moisture and nutrients. Most people have a mixture of one of the two of soil, so depending on your specific soil characteristics, you should water appropriately. Sandy soil should be watered more, while clay soil watered less. Most plants – with a few exceptions – need steadily moist soil. If you’re unsure, it’s better for the soil to be a little dry than extremely wet and soggy.

Type of Plant

2.)    Type of Plant – Though many of our plants these days have been cultivated and bred to withstand broad environments, you should also consider the native habitat of the plant, vegetable, or flower you’re planting. If what you’re planting needs full sun, then it will likely need more water than something that requires full shade. The reason is that a full-sun plant will experience higher temperatures for longer periods of time, evaporating much of the moisture in the soil. If you’ve ever noticed how much your tomato plants “drink,” it’s partly because they’re a full-sun fruit grown in the long summer days.  Likewise, you might notice that lettuce needs a little less water, partly due to the winter climate in which it grows. If you’re unsure, dip your finger in the soil: if it’s moist 3-4 inches down, don’t water.

Time of Day

3.)    Time of Day – This one is perhaps one of most controversial. From our lab’s research, we’ve deduced that there is a single best answer: water in the morning only. Watering at any other time than the morning brings risks. If you water midday, then as much as 40% of the moisture can evaporate, depending on the air and soil temperature. The result is that even though you think you’re watering your plants a lot, they could be getting only about 60% of the water you provide them. If you water at dusk or at night, then you risk having a lot of moisture in your soil and/or on the leaves of your plants, creating nesting grounds for fungi, bacteria, and other pests. Water early in the morning to solve both problems.

Best Practices for Watering your Garden:

1.)    Use mulch – mulch does a few things: it shades the soil, which regulates soil temperature, and it also prevents weeds from growing because it blocks sunlight from touching the soil.

2.)    Don’t water the leaves, just the root stems – it’s tempting to give a plant a big shower if you see wilting leaves. Don’t do it. Leaves absorb light, not water. Give water to the roots, and water the soil only.

3.)    Deep watering – When you give your plants a deep watering less often, it encourages the roots to grow deeper, chasing the moist soil. Watering often but minimally is not ideal because the roots grow at a shallow depth. For mature plants, water until it is moist 6 inches below the surface.

4.)    If you’re not sure if to water, don’t – If you see wilting leaves, but you touch the soil and it’s moist, your problem isn’t water. Wilting can happen for many reasons. Look for other problems.

5.)    Younger plants need a little more water than mature plants – this is a very general rule that I included simply because younger plants have shallower roots, so they’re vulnerable to soil evaporation. Keep their roots moist, but also practice deep watering.

6.)    Use a long spout to water – this can help direct your watering directly near the root stem. If you’re using a hose, then trickle it near the base of the plant. The picturesque water cans you see on Pinterest or Instagram that sprinkle out large volumes are water are notoriously bad targeted watering.

If you have any comments or questions about gardening, please comment below or use the “contact us” feature. We’d love to hear from you. Happy Gardening!