Effective watering :

Plants need water for preparing its food (Photosynthesis).Water is very critical to this process. Water also serves as a major transport channel helping nutrients to travel from soil to plant cells.

Best time to water your plants is in the morning and the next best time is in the evenings. Midday (Afternoon) watering is a wasteful exercise, as much of the moisture evaporates before the plants can take it up. I told you to water in the evenings but please note, it should be not late in the evenings, if you water late evening’s water that stays on the foliage or wet foliage invites diseases and fungi moves in.Shallow watering or single weekly soaking is better than daily sprinklings as shallow watering encourages the roots to stay in the top 3 – 4 inches and shallow. These shallow roots make the plants to defend against water stress.

What are the signs or water stress?

Insufficient water or water stress reflects on the plants. Leaf edges turn brown, leaves are smaller than normal, fruits are undersized or misshape and plants looks droopy.

In potted plants look for shrinking leaves, limp stem, drooping petals and discolored leaves , but do not wait till this happen water when the first inch of soil is dry.

If you by chance have allowed your pot/container (Clay) to dry out completely and you find that your plant has life it is better or wise to soak the entire pot in a tub of water (till the rim of the pot) for 15-20 min or till you notice the whole pot is wet and this re-hydrate the pot as well as the soil.

To hold the moisture for long you can add a layer of straw grass, grass clippings, shredded leaves, the best one is coir etc.

Lastly, bear it in mind that it’s the roots that route the water way up and not the leaves. Wetting the foliage is one way wasting the water and contributes the spread of disease.

Happy gardening…………………..