If you love your garden, water it. This may sound simple, but proper watering should follow certain rules. We explain when, where and how to best quench your plants’ thirst.
The right time of day
A common mistake is choosing the wrong time of day: garden owners often look for dry plants in summer and then immediately reach for the hose. But that doesn’t always help the plants: It’s best for them if they get their water ration in the morning. In the evening it stays damp longer – this can attract snails or make it easier for fungi to settle. Under no circumstances should you water in the blazing sun, because then the plants threaten to burn. The water often evaporates quickly and is therefore not available to either the soil or the plant.
What should you water with?
Rainwater is ideal for plants and it is free of charge. Rain barrels are cheap and quick to set up. You can store larger amounts in underground cisterns. You can use it comfortably with a submersible pump and connected garden hose.
Tap water is always available and does not require a collection tank, but it is often too cold for the greenery, and as valuable drinking water it is also comparatively expensive and often contains lime, which not all plants tolerate. Vegetables in particular prefer rainwater!
How much water is needed?
This is not so easy to answer, because of course every plant has different needs. A clue is always the soil: loamy soil becomes quite hard in summer, but stores a lot of water and is therefore advantageous when it comes to garden irrigation. The sandy soil is loose, but the water just rushes through. This means that you generally have to water it more often and should also incorporate humus or other water reservoirs.
Special case lawn
Once the lawn has turned brownish yellow, it is usually too late. As soon as the stalks no longer straighten up after stepping on or already twist slightly, it’s time to blast. The grass should always be watered in the cooler morning or evening hours so that the water really reaches the roots. After watering, it should feel slightly muddy (but please don’t step on it!). If you want to check it precisely: place a large glass of water on the lawn and mark it with a height of about 1 to 1.5 centimetres. When the fill level is reached, the lawn has enough water.
how should you water
Even if it’s quicker: flowering plants and vegetables in particular don’t like cold showers from above and prefer to be watered at their base. Roses and other plants with dense foliage often react with diseases such as black spot or rust if the foliage is not allowed to dry off quickly enough. Watering from above also promotes the development of fungal diseases such as gray mold and mildew in strawberries.
