What To Know About Watering Plants

While our leafy friends mostly rely on us to ensure that they have access to everything they need, what are the key basics when it comes to watering plants?

Like all living things, plants rely on water to not just thrive, but to ultimately survive. While some varieties require very little, others have well earned reputations for being incredibly picky when it comes to how much water they receive, when it’s delivered, and even how it’s administered. 

In a nutshell, water provides structural support, cools your plant down, and moves minerals around to all the right places. To explore the concept in even simpler terms, plant cells are a bit like water balloons. When they are filled, they become stiff and your plant stands upright. However, when there is a lack of water, the cells deflate and the plant looks wilted, which is usually the clearest possible sign that your plant in question needs more water. Plants produce cellulose that helps keep their shape, but it’s water pressure –  or the water flowing through your plant – helps them gain and retain their shape better than cellulose alone.

A Crash Course On Watering Plants 

In a nutshell, watering plants is of little to no value if the substance in question runs down the outside of the root ball, and in turn leaving the roots at the core of the plant dry. This can happen if you water too quickly or apply too much water at once, which is why slow watering is usually the most effective method for many varieties. In saying that, it’s not the case right across the board, which is why green thumbs can easily get confused when it comes to meeting the needs of their leafy friends when it comes to watering plants. 

If you’re a fan of keeping indoor plants, then the trick is to water them from below whenever possible. Although it may seem a bit odd, this is one way to ensure that water actually does reach the roots of the plants, and reduces the likelihood of you giving them too much hydration. Plant owners can use a saucer and let their plants soak for a few hours before draining, soaking them in a bathtub, and even by investing in self watering pots. However, don’t approach all of your indoor plants with a one size fits all approach. Tropical varieties like ferns prefer to be watered every few days and kept moist, whereas succulents like to dry out between drenchings and require much less attention. 

For the varieties that reside in your backyard or garden, a different approach is required. The amount of shade present will have an influence on how much water is needed, as those in full sun tend to dry out much faster. Wetting the foliage is a waste of water and can promote the spread of disease, so remember to deploy methods that will reach the roots of the plant such as sprinkler systems. Watering in the morning is usually advised for maximum absorbency, and mulch is a gardener’s best friend as it reduces surface runoff and slows the water’s evaporation from the soil. 

Meeting the needs of your lawn or turf is often forgotten about by many gardeners, but ensuring that it receives enough water is crucial if you want to keep it long, lush and weed free. Although it may sound like somewhat of an oxymoron, if you’re able to get a solid watering schedule down pat for your lawn, this also works wonders when it comes to improving it’s drought tolerance. Watering your lawn effectively is also about considering the season, the type of grass used in the turf, and ensuring that it has access to the right nutrients to ensure the hydration is properly distributed and absorbed. 

How To Optimise Your Soil With Nutrients 

Do your plants – and yourself – a favour, and give them a head start by optimising your soil prior to planting. By adding a natural plant food like Biotic Booster, this will help your garden to: 

• Provide essential nutrients and microbes 
• Act as a liquid fertiliser to unlock your soil’s potential 
• Drought proof your plants and lower water consumption
• Increase and speed up the germination process
• Assist in protecting your plants from pests and diseases 
• Provide an organic solution that’s safe to use around your herbs, fruit and veggies

If you’re ready to take the leap into improving the health of your plants while minimising the use of chemical based fertilisers, then it may be time to try plant food and plant probiotics. Our Ultimate Garden Health Pack includes our Biotic Booster, FP-60 Probiotic Spray, and RE-250 Soil Energiser. In each concentrated bottle, millions of natural bacterias are waiting to find a new home in your garden.

Here at Bioweed, we specialise in environmentally friendly gardening products, including herbicides, plant food probiotics, and natural alternatives to traditional gardening solutions. Should you have any questions about how to improve the sustainability of your garden or even what to plant in Spring, get in touch with us today.