What is the Best Time to Water Outdoor Plants?

Did you know that 85%-95% of the weight of living plants? Just imagine that your lovely outdoor plants use more water than anything else. So, watering them really makes sense.

Water is the reason behind why your plants are hydrated as it carries all the essential nutrients. As a result, you’ll see them healthier and stronger. Besides, water is the key to the plants’ critical functions: photosynthesis, transpiration, and nutrient distribution.

You cannot undervalue the necessity of watering your outdoor plants. However, when the best time to water them?

Best Time to Water Outdoor Plants

Morning or Evening?

For sure, you are thinking about whether it is best to water the outdoor plants by morning or evening.

Whether you are taking care of a vegetable garden or potted plants, it is ideal for watering them in the morning, a few hours before or after sunrise. By doing so, your plants can absorb more water. Why is that? In the cooler temperatures, water tends to evaporate less.

As for watering outdoor plants in the evening, especially if it is your only gardening go-to time, you can do that as long as the water is delivered to the right root zone. However, it has some drawbacks. These include rotting and fungus issues. It happens since there’s no sun to warm the soil and plants, which will result in excess and standing water.

How About Watering During Summer Heatwaves?

During summer heatwaves, many of us think that outdoor plants need more often watering compared to indoor plants.

With outdoor plants, the temperature is challenging to control. When heatwaves strike, the watering needs of your plants change. While you are conserving during those situations, you need to give enough amount of water to your plants.

The best thing you can do during a heatwave with regards to watering outdoor plants is to deliver water straight down to the soil. This ensures that not all of the water will reach the soil. So, you have nothing to worry about that the water may leave there and result in fungal issues.

Dealing with Different Outdoor Plants During A Heatwave

As you probably know, not all plants have the same watering requirements. That is why you need to be extra cautious of when and how you should water them.

• Wilted Plants

One of the frustrating things you can experience in gardening is seeing your favorite lavender, peony, or hibiscus drooping. Wilting is caused by various factors such as disease problems, pests, and overwatering.

Mind that plants tend to wilt on a hot day in order for them to cope up with the temperature. As the evening cools off, they will recover. During dusk, you can check your plants to figure out whether or not the wilting is caused by temporary heat stress before watering.

• Vegetable Gardens

Once you neglected to water your vegetable garden, it can lead to stunted vegetables, blossom drop, or worse, plant death. Plants like squash, radishes, celery, cauliflower, and cucumbers require extra water during hot days. In case you rely on sprinklers, it is best to water your vegetable plants early in the morning. This helps in allowing the sun in drying the foliage.

• Container Plants

Water serves as fertilizer to container plants. If you want to give your plants lush growth, then keep the well-irrigated. The rule of the thumb in watering container plants during summer is to water them twice a day.

You can water the container plants once in the morning. This helps in boosting them before the sun heats up. During the evening, water them once. This helps in replenishing what the sun took away.

• Annual as well as Perennial Plants

Do you have annual or perennial plants? If so, it’s also essential for you to know when to water them during a hot day.

Pelargoniums, impatiens, and marigolds are some of the popular annual plants. Since these plants come with a very shallow root system, they will suffer if the soil’s top few inches dry out. So, make sure to water them frequently, especially when the mercury rises.

As for the perennial plants, they have deeper root systems. The time to water these plants is once to twice a week. Watering them slowly and deeply will help to prevent running out of the water before it soaks into the soil.

That’s it! We hope this post helped you a lot. Happy watering!