Adjust the amount of water for each plant
As a general rule, it’s worth remembering that young plants will need less water but on a more frequent basis, while more mature plants will happily take more water on fewer occasions in order to thrive.
Test your soil
There are two easy ways of testing the soil in potted plants to see how moist it is. The first is to simply press a finger into the soil – if it feels dry you’ll need to water the plant.
The second method is to try thumping the side of the pot with your hand. A dull thump will indicate that the soil is sufficiently moist, while a sharp knock suggests that the soil has dried out and shrunk away from the edges of the pot.
An easy way of keeping track of how much water your outdoor plants are getting each week is to use a rain gauge. This handy tool just presses into the soil alongside your plants and allows you to keep an eye on how much water they’re getting after each shower. You can then supplement the difference yourself each week by watering more during dry periods and less during times of heavy or frequent rain showers.
When to water your plants
Outdoor plants
When watering your outdoor plants in the summer, make sure you do it either early in the morning or in the evening so that the sun doesn’t evaporate the moisture too quickly. Watering under a hot sun also means you risk scorching your grass or garden. At other times of the year you can water at any time during the day.
Houseplants
Indoor plants can be watered as and when needed. Make sure you don’t wait until the soil is too dry, but also take care not to over-saturate it either.
Adjust the amount of water for each plant
As a general rule, it’s worth remembering that young plants will need less water but on a more frequent basis, while more mature plants will happily take more water on fewer occasions in order to thrive.
Drench & drain
When watering houseplants and potted plants, allow enough water to go into the pot so that it drains out of the bottom as this will ensure the roots have received enough moisture. If the pot stands in a tray or saucer, make sure you don’t allow the plant to sit in the water. A simple rule to remember is drench, drain, and don’t drown.