The best way to give your plants a drink is to put water on the soil near the base of the plant with a hose or watering can. Don't dump water on the plants from above. And do not use overhead sprinklers.
Focus the water at the soil level and keep applying it until the plant's entire root ball is thoroughly soaked. Remember that the roots are probably just as wide as the plant and may be a foot or two deep. The best moisture meter is at the end of your hand.
Most houseplants won't survive that long without any water, so bottom watering will allow some water to be pulled up into the growing medium, where the lower roots will then have access to water.
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 main advantage of bottom watering is that it lessens the risk of overwatering. After all, the soil can only absorb so much. And with this method, you can't flood your pot with more water than the soil can absorb, which is easy to do with top watering (especially if your pot and/or soil don't drain well!).
Can you over water by bottom watering? Yes, if the plant is sitting in water too long, you can still overwater your plant through bottom watering. However, bottom watering is a more controlled method of watering your plants.
These plants are prime candidates for bottom watering: Plants with hairy or fuzzy leaves, such as African violets, or plants that don't like getting their leaves wet, such as snake plants, Philodendron verrucosum, and P. micans.
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.
The notion that wet leaves on sunny days cause scorch in plants was disproved nearly ten years ago. 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.
Most plants shut down during extreme heat, so if it is over 100 degrees, it may be best to wait to water even if your plant is stressed. Throw a damp sheet over it, or mist it lightly to bring the temperature down.
They normally need watering once or twice a week in the spring and summer, but less in the autumn and winter. However, depending on the type of houseplant, this is not always the case.
How often should plants be watered? 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.
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.
The best way to tell if your plants need water is to stick your finger about an inch into the potting mix—if it feels dry, break out the watering can.
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.
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.
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 the air and soil temperatures consistently fall below 40 F, it's time to stop watering. The ground can't absorb water once the top few inches freeze. Continue to water your plants up until this point so they're as well-hydrated as possible going into winter.
Reduce Evaporation
Mulch after watering with organic material such as compost, leaves or grass clippings to shade the soil and keep the root zone cooler. Shade the soil with a living mulch by planting densely and/or using plants like squashes that are vigorous or have large leaves.
When plants have too little water, leaves turn brown and wilt. This also occurs when plants have too much water. The biggest difference between the two is that too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
Letting a plant sit in water can cause it to rot. One of the reasons we recommend that you keep your plant in its nursery pot (the brown or black pot it arrives in) is that nursery pots have holes in the bottom, for drainage. The best way to water your plants is in the sink.
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.