Learn How to Water Plants With These Helpful Tips for Thriving Greens

We share a few rules for watering plants every gardener should follow.

Knowing how to water plants correctly may be the number one priority for plant parents.

While someplants don’t need sunlightand others basically take care of themselves, all plants need water.

Every plant is different, as is every plant environment.

You’ll have to pay attention to be sure you’re watering right.

Watch the Weather

How much water plants need will vary with the seasons.

For mild weather (particularly in the spring), plan to water your potted plants once a week.

You may find that your plants need watering a few times a week or even daily.

The size of your plants helps determine how much water they need.

Larger plants need more water; smaller plants need less water.

Be sure to customize the water levels for your plants.

Additionally, large pots containing small plants can hold a lot of moisture, so adjust water quantities accordingly.

This is especially true foroutdoor plantsand helps avoid moisture loss from evaporation.

The same can be said for late-evening watering.

Though plants love water,overwatering your plantmay actually be harmful.

Add water to pots until it leaks out of the drainage holes in the bottom.

This way, youll know that the soil and roots can jump into the moisture throughout the pot.

Avoid oversaturating by adding just enough water that it drains out of the bottom.

Water should be poured onto the soil, not the leaves or flowers.

This ensures that water ends up where it’s neededat the roots.

Dumping water on the plant can lead to fungal diseases and even scorched spots on leaves.

Keep a close eye on your plants' appearance.

If they start to wilt or droop, it may be time to water them.

Be sure to inspect the soil first, thoughdrooping and wilting doesn’t necessarily mean your plant is thirsty.

Plant roots don’t sit close to the surface, and watering deeply helps get water to the roots.

For new plants or trees, watering deeply helps the plants root in and establish themselves.

The difference between overwatering and deeply watering is subtle.

Overwatering comes up whenever the soil is constantly saturated and results from watering too frequently.

Schedule more frequentwatering for these plants, but be careful not to overwater them.

The same rule applies to seedlingsthey need even more water than young plants, up to twice per day.

Plants (Basel).

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