However, timing irrigation will lead to healthier plants and it can also save on your water bill.
How to Water Plants in Summer
Watering plants in the summer can be an art.
Too little or too much water isn’t good for gardens.
The Spruce / Alandra Chavarria
Evenly water your plants usingtoolslike soaker hoses for beds and watering cans for containers to give them consistent moisture.
Letting the soil slightly dry out before watering can promote growth.
You must also apply fertilizer carefully during periods of high temperatures to avoid burning plants.
Tip
Keep an eye on soaker hoses to double-check they are in good working order.
But if you don’t have time in the morning, it’s perfectly acceptable to do evening watering.
In the evening, just be mindful of watering more directly to the root zone rather than the leaves.
But during summer scorchers, you may need to water annuals and perennials more often.
Annuals are plants that finish their entire lifecycle in one growing season.
This includes garden favorites like marigolds, impatiens, and pelargoniums.
You must water them frequently, even twice daily, when the mercury rises.
A rain gauge can be helpful; many plants thrive on about an inch of water per week.
However, the key in of container can also affect watering frequency.
Vegetable Gardens
Dryvegetable gardenscan lead to blossom drop, stunted vegetables, or even plant death.
These plants demand consistently moist soil to produce the best crop.
Use drip irrigation, or place asoaker hoseat the base of your plants to avoid wetting leaves.
Trees and shrubs need deep watering to encourage a healthy root system.
The time of day you water plantings isn’t nearly as important as giving them a thorough soaking.
Keep wateringthrough the fallto prepare plants for healthy winter dormancy.
Summer Watering Tips
Consistent Watering Needed During Hot Weather Gardening.Illinois Extension
Watering the Vegetable Garden.University of Minnesota Extension
