How to Water the Plants

When watering plants, there aren’t any fast or hard rules to think about. It is mostly about making judgment calls and your decision will depend on factors such as the soil, water, season, and plant type, among many other things. Luckily, it is easy to know what you should do, even if you’re just a teenager watering plants as a summer job. The only thing that you need to do is to inspect the soil. 

When you work in a greenhouse, be sure that you raise every pot of plant before watering it. After some time, you will know the weight of each pot, which will give you an idea of how moist the soil is. If it doesn’t feel heavy enough, then you should water it slowly until the soil becomes moist and the water is starting to run down. Lift that pot again to see it weighs right. 

The Proper Way of Watering Plants 

Watering is worthless if most of the water is running away from roots, which leaves the plants dry. This happens if you are watering the plant too quickly or if you’re adding a lot of water in one go. Slowly watering the plants is more effective. The goal is to make sure that the water reaches the roots. This is important regardless if you’re tending to seedlings, watering vegetable gardens, soaking trees and shrubs, or taking care of houseplants 

You can’t apply the lifting test in landscapes and gardens. But there are moisture sensors that you can use to know how much water a plant may need. You may also use a spade and push somewhere near the plant to check the moisture content of the soil. If the soil is moist and you dug some 12 inches deep, then it’s doing good. If it is dry, it’s time to water some more. 

More Plant Watering Tips  

Always pay extra attention to the roots. Keep in mind that it is the roots that require water and not the leaves. Wetting the leaves is merely wasting water and promoting infection among plants. Water a plant only if it’s needed. Sprinkler systems with automatic timers are very useful. Just be sure to watch the weather and adjust the settings during the rainy season. Excess moisture can also harm the plants. 

When watering the plants, do so deeply and completely. Annuals and grasses have their roots about six inches deep. Trees, shrubs, and perennials have them at about 12 inches. If the soil is heavy, watering may take a few hours. This is the reason why installing automatic sprinklers is recommended, especially if you don’t have time all day to water the plants. When watering plants, do so in the morning. Mulching will also help. Invest in the right tools, such as soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems. 

If you need more help or if you want to install the best sprinklers El Cajon, simply contact a seasoned landscaper to help you with the task. You’ll learn a lot from them too, especially if they have many years of experience in the field.