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Possibly a stupid question, but... watering leaves?

Anna33Anna33 Posts: 316
in Plants
Is there any benefit to watering the leaves of a plant to try and reduce transpiration?

Despite having a frequent deep soak a lot of the time, my garden is baking in this sunshine, and I'm getting through water at a rate of knots. The issue is mostly plants in pots - which I know need more watering anyway, but if I water the leaves as well would that reduce transpiration in any way?

I've already got all soil surfaces covered in a gravel mulch, which does help, but wondered if there were any other suggestions that might help reduce watering/make watering more efficient?

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Don't think it would help and may even do harm, the drops of water acting as a lens and burning the leaf surface.

    I've moved plants that I think may suffer into an area where they get shade for at least half the day and am watering the pots until the water runs from the bottom of the pot.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Except for sun worshippers such as citrus and Mexican lily and pelargoniums, I have moved all my pots to areas where they don't get the sun at the hottest times of day.  In facts most are on the north side now and only get sun early morning and late afternoon.

    I water late in the evening and do give a final spray to the foliage to help cool and rinse it but not when the sun is on them.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Anna33Anna33 Posts: 316
    Thanks - I did think it might be a silly idea!

    I already water in the evenings so they have maximum time to absorb water, but it's a south facing garden, part patio, and (ahem) slightly crammed with pots, so there's not really anywhere else to move them to.

    Hey ho, will just carry on as I am. Desperately waiting for a beautiful downpour.
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    No harm in watering the leaves if you do it on an evening, can certainly help them look refreshed if nothing else, but its not doing much else. Evergreens do appreciate having the leaves watered now and again however 
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I've been giving some of my plants a foliar feed with seaweed in the evenings. Dust is starting to cover everything up here so if nothing else it cleans the leaves off.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    It is actually a myth that the water acting as a lens can damage leaves.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9332112/Sunburnt-leaves-the-myth-debunked.html 
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    But if you live in a hard water area it can leave 'unsightly' residue when it evaporates, I've had to learn to distinguish salt deposits from bad things and didn't always get it right  
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Commercial growers of heat sensitive crops like lettuce mist them several times a day in hot regions, so yes it does work.
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