Looking for the best watering tips for your garden space? Getting to know your growing space is crucial to gardening success. Observing and understanding your unique growing space will enable you to help your plants grow better. As with anything in life, practice aids improvement and gardening is no different. There are a few hard and fast rules to gardening but here is my guide and some top tips for watering your garden.
When To Water?
Early in the morning and late in the afternoon are considered the best times to water a garden. Watering at mid-day is generally not advised because the sunlight and heat can sometimes become too intense at that time of day. Mid-day watering in the Summer months, for example, can actually burn your plant’s leaves and cause the soil below them to dry out too quickly.
How Often and How Much To Water
All gardens are different, some are sandy, some are clay, some are in courtyards, and some are grown in pots, therefore all gardens will naturally dry out at different speeds. As mentioned, there is no hard or fast rule, but here are some helpful guidelines:
1. Only water when the ground/compost is dry. Touch your hand to the earth and disturb the surface layer, if it still feels wet then there is no need to water. If it is dry then water it well and thoroughly. It is very easy to overwater our plants but the true secret to successful watering is just to find that balance between ‘when to’ and ‘when not to’ water. Observation is key!
2. Plants generally need more water in Summer than in Winter.
3. Earth high in organic matter generally holds moisture better and therefore may require less watering.
Time Saving Watering Tips
Watering can be time consuming and as someone who works with plants on a daily basis I can confirm that finding a watering system that works well for you can be revolutionary! Here are a few ways to save time when watering:
1. Multi Spray Gun: This enables you to cover a larger area of the garden faster. This tool fits onto the end of the hosepipe and is simple to use.
2. Sprinklers: enables you to water large areas quickly.
3. Timers: fit onto the tap end of your hosepipe. Connect them to a sprinkler, set the timer and relax with peace of mind that your plants are watered automatically.
4. 3-Way Tap Connector: this tap product enables you to use a sprinkler and a hosepipe at the same time and from one shared tap source. This enables you to have the sprinkler over one side of your garden while you water other areas. This is a favourite product of mine and a real time saver!
My 5 Top Quick Tips To Watering Success
Water roots not leaves
Do not water in bright-hot sunlight
Balance is key: do not overwater nor starve your plants either
Find watering solutions/systems that fit your own routine
Observe: every garden is different so observe and learn what your own garden needs
About the Author
Gardening has always been a part of Lydia’s (@yourorganicpt) life, having been raised on a smallholding. Over the years, the practice has come in and out of her life and she takes pride in dedicating herself to a lifetime of continuous learning. This year, she is excited to finish working on her new greenhouse and establishing some of the plants in there this season.
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