Our climate has a fairly unfavorable distribution of rainfall throughout the year. Well,plants need the most water in late spring and summerDuring this period, rainfall is usually not intense enough and there are longer periods of drought. For this reason, it becomes very important to regularlywatering garden plantsWhen watering plants, certain rules must be followed so that watering brings the most benefits to our plants. Some even call watering an art. Here are the most important principles of the art of watering!"
Watering garden plants
Best time to water your plants
Garden plants must not be wateredbetween 10 am and 4 pm, because then the greatest losses of water occur as a result of evaporation from the soil and intensive plant transpiration. On sunny days, water droplets on plant leaves act as lenses focusing light, which can burn plants.
The best time to water your garden plantsis early morning or late afternoon . However, do not spray the plants late in the evening. Late afternoon is better as the plants will still dry before nightfall. Watering late in the evening keeps the plants moist for a long time and fungal diseases spread easily.
How often to water your plants
The general rule is:it is better to water less frequently but more abundantlythan daily small amounts of water. When you water your plants often but not very abundantly, the water does not soak into the soil deeply enough and does not reach the plant roots.For the water to soak deep enough (less than 10 cm from the ground),watering the plants must be abundant
Note!
It is different in the case of plants grown on balconies in containers. Plants in containers require frequent watering, because water evaporates quickly from small containers. The smaller the container and the more exposed to the sun, the more frequent watering should be. Plants in small boxes hanging on balcony railings may require watering even twice a day (morning and evening).
The type of soil in your garden is also important.Plants grown in very light soils must be watered morethan plants grown in heavy (clay) soils.
How long should watering take
Standing in the middle of the garden with a watering hose in hand is quite a boring activity, and in the evening we are often attacked by mosquitoes in the garden.Unfortunately, you have to be patient, becauselong-term watering of plants with a less intense stream of water is much more beneficial than short-term floodingOf course, in such situations an automatic irrigation system will prove useful.
Watering the beds with freshly planted seeds
Providing the right amount of water immediately after sowing the seeds is of great importance for their germination. However, remember towater with a moderately very diffused stream of water(in the case of a watering can, use a fine-mesh strainer, and in the case of a garden hose - set as diffused stream as possible) to avoid displacement and rinsing of the seeds from underneath soil surface.
How to keep water in the soil for longer
Rapid drying out is a problem especially on light, sandy soils. You can improve the water capacity of light soil by enriching it with organic matter, adding compost or manure to the soil.It is also beneficial to mulch the soil. A layer of mulch on the surface of the soil slows down the evaporation of water from the soil. Mulching is best done in spring, when the soil is still sufficiently moist. However, if you are a bit late and do mulch only in summer, do it immediately after watering the plants abundantly.
The use of TerraCottem also brings great effectsThey are mixed with the soil before planting the plants, but you can also remove the top layer of soil or make gently holes around the already planted plants and sprinkle TerraCott in such a way that it goes to the vicinity the roots. It contains a hydrogel, which is a substance that stores water in the soil.
While e.g. peat absorbs up to 5 times its own weight of readily available water and loses these properties within 3 years, the hydrogel contained in TerraCottem can absorb from 250 to 400 times more water than its volume and retains its properties for up to 8 years.Using TerraCottem will allow you to reduce water consumption for watering by up to 50%!It will also ensure the availability of water near the roots of plants during drought and irregular watering of plants. In addition to the hydrogel, TerraCott also contains a starting dose of fertilizer and pieces of volcanic rock that loosen the soil. This will ensure that the roots of the plants can grow freely and make it easier for them to catch on after planting.
Which plants should be watered the most
Of course, different plants have different water needs.Watering plants too abundantlywill not be beneficial (root rot, fungal diseases), and for some plants even more harmful than drought. The general rule is: the more developed the root system, the less sensitive the plant to water shortages. Drought is therefore the most dangerous for shallow rooting plants.
This principle can be applied, for example, to vegetables, for which root vegetables with a fairly deep root can best be dried. The following are considered drought-resistant vegetables: carrots, parsley, red beet, horseradish.
In periods of drought, pay special attention to abundant and regularwatering of annual plants(both vegetables and bedding plants). Subsequently, watering is important for shallow-rooting perennials such as azaleas and rhododendrons, hydrangeas, peonies, funkies, garden ferns. Berry bushes (raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, large-fruited cranberry) will require special care in the orchard.
