“If soil is left too wet for too long, it can cause root rot,” Marino says. “That's what we call over watering. On the other hand, if your plant's soil is consistently too dry you're likely under watering. Letting your soil dry out before watering is key for plants to receive the perfect balance of water and oxygen.”
Deep roots allow them to get water more consistently, so they won't be as susceptible to variations in temperature and humidity. For most plants it's ok/good to allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out completely before watering again. When you do water, make sure the water is really soaking down to the roots.
The soil in your garden should take about a week to dry out after normal watering. If the soil is still wet for more than a week, without outside contributing factors like rain or flooding, there might be a waterlogging or drainage problem.
It is important to note that the majority of flowers, trees, and shrubs require moisture levels between 21% - 40%, while all vegetables require soil moisture between 41% and 80%. NOTE: All vegetables require soil moisture between 41% - 80%.
Make a ball of soil and drop it. If the ball crumbles, your garden is ready for seeds. If it holds its shape or breaks into two clumps, it's still too wet for planting. You can also step into the garden and then step back and look at the footprint you've left in the soil.
Having a dry soil is something you want to avoid as this can result in withered or dead plants. When the dry season arrives, soil that lacks organic ingredients will quickly become dehydrated and will actually repel water instead of absorbing it.
You should always check the state of your soil before tilling. Avoid tilling in wet soil as soil compaction can occur and lead to poor root penetration in the growing season. If it rains, it's best to wait a few days to allow soil to become semi-dry.
Insert a trowel into the soil, then tilt the trowel to check the moisture of garden plants. You can also insert a wooden dowel into the soil to determine the depth of soil moisture. If the dowel comes out clean, the soil is dry. Damp soil will cling to the dowel.
To check whether it's time to water, push your finger down into the soil. If it is still moist a knuckle or two deep, then it doesn't need water yet. If it's dry, then give the soil a nice long, deep soak so that the water reaches the root zone.
Water once or twice per week, using enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of about 6 inches each time. It's okay if the soil's surface dries out between waterings, but the soil beneath should remain moist.
Repotting Your Plant to Help with Drying Wet Soil
You may need to repot your plant in order to solve your waterlogged plant soil issue. First, remove as much of the waterlogged soil as possible from the roots of your plant. Then remove or cut off any roots that are brown or mushy.
Too much water can be just as damaging to plants as too little water. Before watering, check your garden's soil moisture with your finger. Push it into the ground around your plants. You want the top 2 or 3 inches of the soil to be dry, and the soil below that to be moist.
Add Organic Material
Aside from adding fertility, organic material is also great for breaking up heavy dense soils. By mixing and bonding with soil particles it allows for more air space and drainage. As a side note adding organic material can also help dry soils hold moisture.
Waterlogged soils exclude oxygen from the roots thus causing decline of the plants. What happens is the roots die off leaving the plant unable to uptake the needed moisture and nutrients for proper plant growth.
Excess moisture, also known as moisture stress, can be caused by inadequate water drainage or a pot without any holes. A few things that encourage the growth of fungus include dense soil, a lack of drainage holes, and the wrong pot size.
It is often the hot climate or mild winters coupled with sparse rainfall which can cause havoc with the soil. Generally, the hydrophobic nature of any soil boils down to the waxy residue which builds upon the surface, resulting in it repelling water instead of usually absorbing it.
An area considered to be "soggy" is consistently wet and spongy with high water saturation. The soil is damp underfoot, but never swampy. Moderately wet sites have soil that is consistently moist but not waterlogged.
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.)
The good news is that most plants will bounce back between 7-14 days if they're given proper care (which includes rehydration). If this isn't possible because major damage was done or little healthy root system exists then expect about 2 weeks until improvement can be seen.
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.
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.
How can you prevent overwatering? The simplest solution is to only ever water your plant when the top two inches of soil feel dry (for cacti and succulents, water when the soil is fully dry). This gives your plants time to drink at a steady pace. Also make sure excess water can drain off.