Do I need to water twice a day?

Emstick14

I am growing alot of things at the minute and have worked hard at it. At the end of the day they all look quite wilted so I give them a BIG drink but am wondering if thats enough? They perk up after their drink but am thinking that maybe I should water them in the early morning too? Your thoughts please:)

tbw

Emstick14 wrote: »

I am growing alot of things at the minute and have worked hard at it. At the end of the day they all look quite wilted so I give them a BIG drink but am wondering if thats enough? They perk up after their drink but am thinking that maybe I should water them in the early morning too? Your thoughts please:)

Unless they look really wilted again in the morning, I don't see the point of watering again. Maybe you should water them a bit earlier in the evening before they start drooping and start getting stressed ?

More plants are killed by overwatering than underwatering and watering little and often will bring the roots up to then surface instead of the roots going deeper for water.

irishwexford

I've wondered this too. A few years ago we visited elderly relations of OH (they have since passed away) and they showed us around their large allotment and very large back garden which was full of veggies. They won prizes yearly and not a weed in sight. Now he never watered anything which I find amazing. Last week a fellow allotment holder told OH he only waters where he has planted new seeds and his plot is doing fine. I have decided to water our squashes and tomatoes daily but leave everything else for just a weekly splash. All the watering was wearing me out and ruining the enjoyment of the allotment. :cool:

foreign_correspondent

In general, I would say in the greenhouse, yes - you will need to water twice a day when it is hot, outside no, unless things are in very small or shallow pots, or are newly planted.

EmptyPockets

We water everything, everyday.After reading these replies though, it's made me think twice...Our eight tomato plants really do need watering twice a day. They're in pots outside and unless rain is forecast I'll do them morning and evening. The raised beds dry out very quickly too as they only have compost in them.. but now for everything else I'm thinking that maybe one or two good waterings a week would be better..?

peter_the_piper

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

In general, I would say in the greenhouse, yes - you will need to water twice a day when it is hot, outside no, unless things are in very small or shallow pots, or are newly planted.

Can I add to this, well grown hanging baskets will need to be watered twice, possibly 3 times if its very hot and facing south.

morg_monster

a lot of plants look wilted at the end of a hot day - like we would if we'd sat outside in the sun all day! as someone else said, unless they are still wilted in the morning they are just suffering from the heat rather than being dehydrated.
I water the tomatoes every day; but I also have cut the bottom off 1-2l plastic bottles and inserted them neck down into the soil by each stem of my alicante toms (with a green stick poked through to stop them falling out). I use this to give an extra bit of water if we're going away for the weekend; or when its time to feed them. Its also useful to know how much water they're getting compared to what people say the should be getting!

Lotus-eater

I think how it works is this. Excuse me because I'm not a professional grower, if I am wrong.

The plants take up water and send it to the leaves, this evaporates on hot days and helps the plant keep cool. If the roots can't draw up enough water then the plant wilts.
Now if you water all the time then the roots stay shallow, as they get used to water being near the surface all the time, so when it's hot, the roots aren't developed enough to keep the plant non wilted.

So, ideally you shouldn't water while the plant looks alright, but some plants definitely benefit from a very good watering, maybe once a week in dry conditions.

Bob flowerdew says that when a plant wilts from lack of water, it's too late and damage has already been done. I'm not sure how that fits in with the whole idea I've just recounted.

Small plants without a decent root development need more help, but a deluge every few days is better, rather than constant dribbles.

This of course is for plants in the ground, in pots they need as much water as they need, watering from the bottom is better, as is putting the whole pot in a bigger pot of water and waiting till the compost shows moist at the top, then draining.

Kay_Peel

I water tomatoes and hanging baskets little and often.

My apple trees are groaning with fruit and I give them a bucket of water every fortnight, or just before it starts to rain. (rainwater will soak into the ground better rather than running off the surface if I give it a helping hand.

Squashes and beans are in flower and setting fruit. I give the squashes a good soaking every other day (a washing up bowl full, each) but only give the beans two mugs of water each just before it rains.

It's HOW you water, rather than HOW MUCH. I can water all my veg with just two buckets of 'grey water' - here's how:

I make a saucer shaped indentation around, for instance, a bean plant. I put a mug into my bucket of water and pour it into the 'saucer'. The saucer holds the water and it drains slowly. I pour a second mugful into the 'saucer'. You can replace the soil around the plant to stop the water evaporating off, but I leave it if rain is due.

It takes me about 30 minutes to water everything but its less wasteful of water and its directed effectively.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

EmptyPockets

kay_peel wrote: »

i make a saucer shaped indentation around, for instance, a bean plant. I put a mug into my bucket of water and pour it into the 'saucer'. The saucer holds the water and it drains slowly. I pour a second mugful into the 'saucer'. You can replace the soil around the plant to stop the water evaporating off, but i leave it if rain is due.

It takes me about 30 minutes to water everything but its less wasteful of water and its directed effectively.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

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