Perhaps one of the most common mistake people make in gardening is with proper watering techniques. Maximize water conservation by following these simple to follow instructions when watering your potted plants, container gardens, and landscape.
“Water by touch not by habit,”often times people water just to water, but don’t really check the moisture level of the soil surface that they are watering. Unnecessary or obsessive watering could lead to potential root rot/decay and ultimately lead to fungal and other pest related issues.
Extremely dry soiloften takes a bit to absorb water thoroughly from top to bottom. Visualize the Grand Canyon if you will for a minute… all the cracks and indentations within the soil often allows water to quickly escape from top to bottom within seconds. While you see water escaping thru the drainage holes during your watering session on an extremely dry plant or potted container garden… all the water may not be absorbing properly because of how dry the soil can be. The key to watering extremely dry containers/plants is to water slowly directly on the soil surface and allow several seconds intervals for the soil to absorb water thoroughly. A good practice that helps water retention is to have a tray that catches the water at the bottom of your planter.
Early Morning Wateringis highly recommended. For several reasons... this is often the best time to water. Watering in the morning allows time for plants to dry appropriately (i.e. with sunlight) and also deters fungal and pest infestations that find moist and muggy conditions ideal.
Evening/Night Watering.For those whom are on-the-go or whose schedule will only permit them to water at night, special precaution should be taken to avoid future problems with disease and pest related problems. Direct watering to the soil surface while avoiding foliage and flowers will help reduce potential problems with mold/mildew. Most insects make their way out during cooler evening and late night hours as well. When you water directly onto soil surfaces and not over foliage and flowers bugs have to work harder to reach these locations where they often feed because it is most usually the most tender parts of a plant. General spray watering weighs leaves and flowers down and droops them to the ground level where insects and other pests eagerly await during their late night feeding sessions.
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