Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.
There is usually no "worst time" to water your houseplants (or outdoor plants). If your plant needs water, it needs water. It's absolutely fine to water your plants at night, and in some cases, it could actually be a good thing.
The best time to water your garden in summer is from 6 am to 10 am—before the heat of the day sets in, giving your plants plenty of time to drink up and any moisture on the leaves to dry off before nightfall. What is this? If watering in the morning isn't possible, the next best time is from 4 pm to 7 pm.
In the morning, plants are ready to absorb ample of water that helps them get through the day's heat. Helps the water seep into the garden significantly. Leaves time to dry before nightfall, which helps prevent fungal diseases in the plants.
If the soil feels dry, it's time to water. In the spring and fall and in cooler climates, it might be sufficient to water container plants every two to three days. In the summer and in warm climates, container plants usually require daily watering, unless they are succulents or other drought-tolerant xeriscape plants.
Overwatering is one of the more common causes of plant problem. Heavy and poorly drained soils are susceptible to becoming waterlogged. Roots growing in waterlogged soil may die because they cannot absorb the oxygen needed to function normally. The longer the air is cut off, the greater the root damage.
Overwatered Plants Symptoms
Some symptoms of overwatering to look for include: Slowed plant growth with yellowing leaves. Plants may also suffer from leaf scorch/burn. Water soaked spots and/or blisters (i.e., Oedema) may be visible on plant stems and leaves.
The best time to water outdoor plants is in the morning when temperatures are usually cooler. This gives the plants time to absorb the water so they can get through a long, hot day. The second-best time is late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Try not to water at night.
In hot weather you need to water in the mornings when it is cooler. This will allow more water to reach the root system before it evaporates in the heat. There may be times when you cannot schedule watering in the morning. In this case, water the plants in the late evening before bed.
During really hot weather, water your vegetables at least two to three times a week. Watering the garden deeply is critical. The water must go down, down, down to encourage deep roots and get away from the hot soil surface.
During extremely hot weather (daytime temperatures above 90F and nighttime temperatures above 70F), try to water daily or every other day. In a 10x10-foot garden, this would mean giving your plants 8 to 9 gallons of water each day.
The general answer is around 90 degrees F, with some exceptions to the rule. This means that when temps rise above 90 and remain there for a lengthy spell: Leaves wilt. Water evaporates into the atmosphere more quickly in high heat, draining a plant's reserves.
Even in wet seasons, watering usually helps, because the water that falls then isn't all available to plants. Roots need air to function, and a “cats and dogs” rain temporarily drives all the air out of the ground.
If you are unsure how long to water new plants, aim for 30-60 seconds for small plants – longer for larger plants while moving the hose to a few locations around the plant. Avoid watering when the soil feels moist. The earth must be allowed to dry out between watering.
So, 'don't be fooled by rain! If you think it's rained and you don't need to water a container, you're probably wrong. ' Continue watering as you would normally, and always do a finger test to check if the soil is saturated.
Evening watering gives plenty of time for the water to penetrate the soil and for the plant to take it up, but there is a concern that leaves staying damp overnight will provide access to disease.
The heat from the sun evaporates a significant amount of the water you apply to the plants, which makes it an inefficient time to do it. The ideal time to water is first thing in the morning before it's too hot and the plants have time to dry out.
As the weather heats up and plants reach full size, you may need to water containers (and especially hanging baskets) twice a day.
The ideal time to water them is in the morning before 10 am. 6 am would be good; 3 am is a bit early but also okay. The worst time to water is between 10 am and 2 pm, when the sun is hottest. Late afternoon through around 6 pm, or even later in the summer when days are long, is okay.
During spring and summer in Southern California, she suggests drip watering three times a week for 18 minutes, then adjusting from there if the soil is too wet or dry. Don't know how to tell? Stick your finger in the soil. If it's consistently moist 2 inches down, your plants are fine.
Stop Watering the Plant
But stopping your watering is always the first step. If you're overwatering, you'll likely notice that the soil is wet, so you want to make sure that soil is bone dry before you're ready to break out the watering can again.
When a plant is first becoming overwatered, leaves turn yellow. If soil doesn't have a chance to dry out before you water again, leaves start to wilt. When overwatering is the problem, wilted leaves are soft and limp. (If too little water is the issue, wilted leaves are dry and crispy.)