Gardeners urged to water plants at exact times in heatwaves

Blue skies and wall-to-wall heat can prompt many of us to get the watering cans out in abundance. While flowers, some more than others, drastically need more to get through, watering plants throughout the hottest part of a day is not advised by experts.

It’s important to nourish plants with the right amount of water, and to not overwater them. Doing otherwise will just drown them and stop them from thriving throughout the summer. According to , there’s an exact time as to when plants should be watered and how to avoid them from getting damaged.

It’s recommended that gardeners water their outdoor spaces in the morning or in the evening. The site explained: “This is due to the fact that evaporation can dry out your plants.”

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The bottom line is that plants need water to survive and to complete their photosynthesis cycle. Watering plants in the morning will allow the plants to absorb the water before the temperatures rise. During the evening time, it’s also when plants penetrate the soil without rapid evaporation - ready to be watered again in the early morning times. Some plants must also be watered directly into the soil, with drips of water on leaves causing possible scorching.

What happens if gardeners overwater their plants?

Overwatering plants is a common mistake that gardeners make. By believing the more, the merrier, it can kill the plant. However, this can be easily avoided by just watering the necessary amount of water for plants to survive throughout the day.

As explained by Poll Hill, some of the common signs that plants are being overwatered are:

• Wet soil, causing disruption
• Yellow, dry leaves
• Mushy growth
• Loss of leaves
• Musty smell

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expert Josh said: “You can overwater your plants at the bottom if you do not have containers with slow drainage or have soil that is too dense and does not drain efficiently."

He added: "Clay-based or silty soil isn’t very good for drainage, and gardeners should opt for sandy, loamy or gravel-based soils to provide better drainage opportunities for your plants.”

Josh also explained that drought plants are good for the hotter moths, and south-facing gardens are more likely to thrive by soaking up all of the sunshine. However, it’s still important to monitor the colour of their leaves, as it might show signs of them getting more water than they need to.

By following this simple gardening advice, gardeners and non-expert gardeners can rest assured that their outdoor spaces will look as vibrant and colourful in the months ahead. Just make sure to use the correct amount of water!