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 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.
As the weather heats up and plants reach full size, you may need to water containers (and especially hanging baskets) twice a day.
Answer: Early morning (5:00 to 9:00 am) is the best time to water the garden when using a sprinkler, garden hose, or any other device that wets the plant foliage. When watering is completed, the plant foliage dries quickly. The rapid drying of plant foliage helps guard against the development of fungal diseases.
Watering Plants At Night Isn't Needed: Although the idea has been around for years, most plants don't need extra care by watering them at night. There are a few exceptions, but 99% of your plants, indoors and out should only be watered during the day.
1) Plants are sensitive to temperature changes
The reason why we recommend early morning, between the times of 7am and 10am, is the temperature is not yet too hot. Personally, I water the plants I'm growing at home immediately after I wake up.
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.
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 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 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.
watering plants around noon on a sunny day should be avoided, since it might harm their leaves. The explanation is that tiny water droplets can act like lenses, focusing the sun's rays onto sections of leaves just like a magnifying glass would, resulting in scorched foliage and reduced plant health.
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.
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.
The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening.
More importantly, watering at these times actually helps the plant retain water. If you water in the afternoon, especially during summer, the heat and sun are at their peak and the plant's water will evaporate instead of absorbing into the soil and roots.
In times of extreme heat, 1-2 times each week may be necessary. Know your plants though! Some plants prefer almost zero water during summer (manzanita, Ceanothus, madrone and cistus) and others wilt even when they have ample water (hydrangea, rhododendron). So adjust watering accordingly.
But there is no doubt that watering in full sun is not water efficient – as much of it will evaporate before entering the soil. In the current hot breezy weather it is probably best to water in the early evening.
Avoid watering when temperatures are below 40°F or when sustained freezing temperatures are expected within 24 hours as this water will freeze and not be available to the plants.
When working in the heat, drink 1 cup (8 ounces) of water every 15–20 minutes. This translates to ¾–1 quart (24–32 ounces) per hour. Drinking at shorter intervals is more effective than drinking large amounts infrequently. Do not drink more than 48 oz (1½ quarts) per hour!
Water slowly and deeply by letting the water drip from irrigation, a soaker hose, or by adjusting the flow to your garden hose. Although it's never good to waste water, it's OK to water more than you normally would during a heat wave.
Absolutely. Along with all that yeast and sugar, beer contains potassium, calcium, magnesium. These are all things that help plants thrive. If you need organic fertilizer for your entire garden or lawn you can mix beer into the water you are giving your plants.
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.