Flower Garden Watering Basics

Many people are not sure when to water their flowers. But don't wait until they wilt. Wilted flowers are under severe stress, which results in poor bloom yield and increases their susceptibility to insects and disease. Instead, keep an eye on your garden for leaves that have lost their gloss and soil that has become hard and dry.

Water before the heat of the day, in the morning, even before sunrise. Watering early gives the water a chance to soak in rather than evaporating away. Plus, if there is some excess water that cannot be absorbed, it will have a chance to evaporate. Watering in the evening allows the water to soak in, but excess water will not evaporate and will foster fungal damage.

It is important to water deeply to encourage deep root growth. Light watering results in roots that stay near the surface, because that is where the water is. The shallow ground dries out quickly and so the plant will need more frequent watering. The deeper soil remains moist longer and so the plant is less likely to suffer during a drought. Shallow roots also reduce a plants ability to cope with disease.

Water slowly for an extended period of time, up to an hour, rather than flooding a plant for a short period of time.

Most plants do best if you water the ground rather than the plant itself. Water on the leaves can lead to fungus, disease and burning. Clearly, plants get wet when it rains, and they can tolerate being wet, but that isn't necessarily what is best for them. When watering the ground around the plant, keep in mind that the pounding of a strong stream of water will tend to compact the soil and can damage the roots of some plants.

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