Make sure your plants are happy, healthy and well-watered this summer with the help from our team here at Five Star Tree Services! We are going to go over when the best time is to water your different plants.
When To Water Plants
Generally, the best time to provide your plants with water is either early in the morning or in the evening. This is due to the soil being cooled and allowing more water to penetrate deeper into the soil as opposed to evaporation when it is warmed during the day.
But all plants are different and require different watering times:
Container Plants
Since these plants have a finite amount of soil available and water easily drains out of them, you will need to water them twice a day. This should be done once in the morning as a boost and once in the evening.
Perennials & Annuals
The first step is determining if your plant is an annual or a perennial. This will help you figure out when to water them.
Perennials
These are permanent plants that regrow year after year. This means that they develop deep root systems in order to be able to live through droughts and the winter months. This means that you can get away with watering them only once or twice a week. For best results, water slowly and allow it to seep deep into the ground. Make sure to avoid watering too quickly as this leads to water runoff, which doesn’t allow it to soak into the soil and get to the roots.
Annuals
These are plants that only last for one summer and need to be replaced the next year. Because of this short life cycle, they do not develop deep roots and require frequent watering. This can mean daily watering in order to keep them alive. The soil should not dry out since they have such shallow roots.
Wilted Plants
Before jumping to water a wilted plant, it’s important to determine exactly why it is wilting. This can be caused by numerous factors such as disease, pests, overwatering, and even a coping mechanism on a hot day. If it wilts because it’s too hot, it can bounce back in the evening when it cools off again, not needing extra water.
Vegetable Gardens
In order to yield the best corps, they are going to need consistent moist soil. Drip irrigation is your best option but if you don’t have that, placing a hose at the base of your plants is also good. But if you are using a sprinkler, you need to make sure to water them in the early morning so the sun is able to dry the leaves.
Water Growing Plants
Since these plants are already in constant water, you only need to watch for when to add more as it evaporates. It will also need to be completely changed every couple weeks or if you notice the water has become cloudy. You can also give your plants a boost with liquid organic houseplant fertilizer.
Shrubs & Trees
With these plants, the exact time of the day is not vitally important for watering. What is important, however, is getting a thorough soak when you do water. Put a hose near the base and let the water trickle until at least 8 inches is moist. Sometimes, this can take 20-30 minutes to achieve a proper soaking. If you have any newly planted plants, you will need to be watering them 2-3 times a week, especially when there is a drought or heatwave.
Grass
Make sure to water your grass before 10am but after it has risen. During this time, the soil is cooler and winds are not usually strong, this gives grass roots the perfect conditions for water absorption.
How Five Star Tree Service Can Help
Watering your plants can be a lot of work but once you know the perfect time to water them and how much to water them, they will be beautiful, happy, and healthy all summer long. Our team here at Five Star Tree Services is here to help you if you need assistance with your Tree Care in Toronto, make sure to give us a call at (416) 990-3355!