Having spent the last few months coaxing seeds and plants to grow, everything in the garden and allotment is now shooting off at a crazy speed. Suddenly it feels as if I’m in a race to provide the plants with what they need in order to thrive.
Watering forms a big part of this job; with the summer months upon us and plants growing so fast, the demand for water is at it’s peak. Providing your plants with adequate water at this time of year can be a bit of a minefield, so here are some tips for getting garden watering right in summer.
Water at the right time of day
If you can, avoid watering at the warmest times of day when lots of water will be lost to evaporation. The ideal time to water is in the early morning; this limits evaporation and helps plants deal with the heat. If you can’t manage garden watering in the morning, the next best option is early evening – don’t leave it too late though, you want leaves to dry off before night to avoid mildew and mold problems.
Collect rainwater
One of the simplest ways to give yourself an easy supply of water for the garden is to collect rainwater. It’s also a great way to reduce your impact on the planet and, if you have a water meter, your water bill too. Water butts are available in various sizes and are simple to install, you just need to connect them to a downpipe or guttering.
Water effectively
Don’t waste time watering little and often; this encourages weeds and can also cause plants to make roots near the surface, which makes them vulnerable. Instead, water the soil around plants really thoroughly, making little ponds around them so the water can really soak in. Watering this way supports plants for much longer, so you need to water less often, giving you more time to sit back and enjoy your garden.
Use a good hose
Watering is one of those garden jobs that can be transformed with the right piece of equipment. Unless you have a very limited number of plants to water you’re going to need a hosepipe, which can bring it’s own set of issues. If you’re buying a standard hosepipe, try to go for a good quality one with sturdy piping; this will avoid lots of kinks and interruptions to the flow of water. It’s a good idea to invest in a nozzle that gives you a few options for the spray, so you can treat smaller plants gently and really target the water where it needs to go. The new expandable, lightweight hoses are great if you’re tight on space and don’t want to lug around a heavy reel.
Do you have any top tips for effective garden watering? Let me know in the comments.
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Ahmed Hamdy says
June 20, 2017 at 1:42 pmHey Catherine, this topic it one of my “talk much about it” topics. we really should be careful when watering our gardens during the summer like you said. For both saving our beloved plants and to save water and reduce our impact on the plant. I have another idea it may be useful. One of the most effective ways in my point of view is investing in electronic watering system. Using it will allow water to reach the plant in the right time with the right amount and avoiding problems like over-watering or dry soil.
Catherine says
June 20, 2017 at 2:20 pmGreat tip Ahmed, thanks! I use an automated watering system in my greenhouse at the allotment but it would be great to have one for the garden too.
Ahmed Hamdy says
June 22, 2017 at 2:15 amI know this is a completely of topic question but How I Can Put My photo In My Comment Here? I feel like I’m an X-Man or something XD
Lucy says
June 21, 2017 at 8:46 amProviding water to the plants at early morning is very important in the morning. Earlier I use to water plants in the evening but during summer I observed water dry up fast. So, I decided to make the regular routine to water plants before 6 AM. Watering plants in the right manner will improve the growth rate of plants.
Catherine says
June 21, 2017 at 9:29 amI try to water in the early morning too – it’s actually a lovely time to be out in the garden as well!
WM says
June 29, 2017 at 1:45 pmThis is really useful. I tend to over-water because I get paranoid about whether I’m giving them enough!
Becky at PinksCharming says
July 12, 2017 at 10:15 amThanks for the great tips, I don’t think we water for long enough, so it probably doesn’t get the soaking it needs x #homeetc
Catherine says
July 12, 2017 at 1:23 pmIt’s definitely worth leaving the hose on for that little bit longer – it means you need to do it less often too!
Lins @ Boo & Maddie says
July 16, 2017 at 3:58 pmOh my goodness this is so so helpful, I’ve literally been watering my plants at 11pm at night!! Now I know why some of them go mouldy, thank you so much for sharing X #HomeEtc
Catherine says
July 17, 2017 at 6:55 amI’m so glad you’ve found it useful Lins!
Homesteading Steve says
October 20, 2017 at 11:24 amHey Catherine
Just stumbled across your blog, really nice pics you’re using! I like to harvest rainwater too, lived in Australia for 6 years where that is all we had, not just for watering, but for drinking, washing, laundry etc.
I am an evening waterer I have to say. I love it on a warm summer evening, just getting out with the hose and a nice watering rose plugged into the end of it. The light rays hitting the water as it rains down on the dusty leaves of the plants is quite mesmerising 🙂
Where in England are you? I’m over in West Dorset. Wasn’t a bad summer was it? Although it seems to be so long ago 🙁
Anyway, good luck, here’s hoping for a crisp English winter and a wonderful 2018 in the garden