Gardeners' World: Monty Don gives advice on watering plants
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Watering is essential for maintaining healthy plants. In the summer months, gardeners may water their plants once or even twice a day, and it is extremely important to do it the right way. Tom Hilton, outdoor and indoor gardening specialist at National Greenhouse has exclusively shared several common mistakes to avoid when watering your garden plants with Express.co.uk.
Save 57% off Outdoor Bar
Make your garden into the ultimate summer space with an outdoor bar and now Wowcher is offering one for more than half price. Easy to assemble and stunning, don’t miss the chance to buy it now.
View Deal Shop now
Not giving your plants enough water is one thing, but on the other end of the scale, you can also harm your plants by overwatering, especially when you forget to factor in rainfall.
Tome explained: “Overwatering can actually hinder the growth process, and even cause plants to die if they don’t get enough time to drain the excess water, especially when potted.”
To avoid this happening the expert has advised that gardeners read up on their individual plant types to put together a watering schedule.
It could also be useful to take note of how often it rains to avoid giving them too much of a good thing.
Another mistake is assuming that all plants need the same amount of water. Again, it pays to do your plant research.
Tom noted: “It’s true that plants do tend to let you know when they need a drink, but it’s just good practice to really take the time to research how often different plants need watering and when.
“For instance, tropical plants are used to humid conditions and will require soil to be consistently moist.
“Whereas some plants can go longer between watering and are used to drier environments.”
Gardeners should also avoid watering their gardens when it’s most convenient for them rather than the plants.
DON’T MISS:
House prices reach ‘record high’ as properties for sale remain low [INSIGHT]
‘Kitchen faux pas’ to avoid when designing space – ‘huge impact’ [EXPERT]
How to ‘immediately’ increase your property value by 10-15 percent [TIPS]
The gardening pro explained: “Too often, people will water their plants at the end of the day, getting into a routine that’s more convenient for them rather than their plants.
“But actually, the best time of the day to water plants is in the morning so that they are set up perfectly for the day ahead, and this is especially important during the warmer seasons and heatwaves.
“This will ensure the plants can keep hydrated throughout the day, and during the hottest hours.”
Plus, when it is particularly hot, some plants will “definitely benefit from a second watering” in the early evening to keep their thirst quenched throughout the night, according to Tom.
But do take into account how much shade they had during the day and if they will need it.
On the topic of hot weather, it is best not to water plants during the hottest parts of the day.
The expert said: “When the heatwaves come, don’t make the mistake of watering plants in the middle of the day when the sun is burning down.
“Stick to the morning routine so that the plants have gradually been able to hydrate themselves.”
By waiting until when the day gets hot, gardeners will do them a disservice.
The water will evaporate before it gets to the roots, leaving the plants to dry out in the afternoon.
When watering plants many just water on top, rather than at the base, which is a huge mistake.
Tom explained: “Don’t forget to water your plants at the base to get to the root system quickly.
“It might be tempting to just pour over the top, especially if you have quite a lot of plants next to each other, but at the end of the day, it’s the roots that need to soak up the water so that the plants can grow efficiently.”
He suggested that gardeners should use a watering can to pour under the plants’ stems and flowers, and make sure the soil underneath gets a good amount.
Again, during the very dry seasons, gardeners may need to do this a few times a week or even a couple of times a day.
Source: Read Full Article