If it is of any help, you will be more likely to kill your plants by not watering them enough. Most need good drainage - bog and pond plants are something of an exception! If plants have good drainage it is hard to over water them. Being mean when watering is a bad thing. It's better to give them enough so make sure that the water goes down deep. When planting anything it is important to give them a good drink to make sure that the soil penetrates around the roots. My mum used to use the term 'puddling in' when she planted new shrubs in dry weather. She dug the hole, filled it with water and added the plant, then the soil. I don't think that she ever had failures. You will learn by experience! If it wilts, it needs watering!
It's always sobering to time how long it takes to fill a large watering can from a hose. Then pour that can on one bed. Then try to think in can equivalents when using the hose.
@Astraeus as others have said, it all depends on your local conditions, how dry the ground is, whether it's in a pot, what the plant is etc. You'll get the feel for it with experience, but maybe this will help. Note, I'm not saying this is "right", just an indication to help you think of an approach.
"Give it a good soak" - stand there with a hose aimed at the base of the plant, onto the ground, until you get bored! Assuming a fairly regular water pressure, water it for about 30 seconds to a minute for every 1 foot of plant. So if you have a 2 foot high bush, water for 2 mins. If whatever you're watering is a thirsty plant (eg: salix) and it's a dry spell, add an extra minute. If you're watering tiny bedding, don't use this rule of thumb! This is a one off activity, not a daily watering.
"Water it in really well" - get a watering can, at least 6 liters. Do not use a hose. Take the rose off the can, and pour the water directly onto the area of the planting hole. The water should "flood", as in make puddles on the surface before quickly soaking in. This is what settles the earth and removes air pockets. Flood all around the planting hole, at least 6 inches outside of it. If you see air bubbles in your puddles, do another watering can. If the water sits on the surface and doesn't soak in quickly, your ground is too dry - water with a hose or rose to wet the ground to a depth, then water in again. This is a planting activity, not a daily watering.
"Water it regularly" - in normal weather (whatever normal is for you), for a regular plant (not a bog plant or cactus!), water once a week. If it's hot, double the frequency. If it's a plant that needs moist conditions, halve the frequency again. Do the opposite for the opposite conditions. And most of all, just look closely at your plant. Are the leaves healthy? Does it look droopy or crispy? Let the plant guide you. Remember that rain rarely waters pots.
"Doesn't need much watering" - it'll be fine until you wake up one morning and it's dead in a crispy heap
Sorry, I mixed up "double the frequency" and "halve the frequency".
I meant "do it twice as often". So, once per week in normal conditions. Double that to every 3 or 4 days in hot weather. Double it again to every day or every 2 days for very hot weather or hot weather and plants that need to be well watered.
I've started leaving big plastic tubs around the garden to catch rainwater, so that I can wander around with my watering can and dip into them to water any specific nearby plants that need it (usually hydrangeas). What do other people do to stop wildlife from falling in and drowning? That's the only thing that worries me. The tubs are wide and deep.
Bit of mesh/chicken wire over the top @Camelliad. Bit inconvenient when you want to use them, but saves the problem I can't really offer any watering tips as we have a plentiful natural supply here, and our water charges are a standard rate on our C. Tax, so we can use as much as we want, but a useful one for anyone with a greenhouse, porch, or similar, is to keep a can of water in there during cooler months if you have seedlings or small plants. When they need a watering as they start growing in rising temps, it means the water is a better temperature for them.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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https://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/blogs/news/the-basics-of-growing-roses
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
"Give it a good soak" - stand there with a hose aimed at the base of the plant, onto the ground, until you get bored! Assuming a fairly regular water pressure, water it for about 30 seconds to a minute for every 1 foot of plant. So if you have a 2 foot high bush, water for 2 mins. If whatever you're watering is a thirsty plant (eg: salix) and it's a dry spell, add an extra minute. If you're watering tiny bedding, don't use this rule of thumb! This is a one off activity, not a daily watering.
"Water it in really well" - get a watering can, at least 6 liters. Do not use a hose. Take the rose off the can, and pour the water directly onto the area of the planting hole. The water should "flood", as in make puddles on the surface before quickly soaking in. This is what settles the earth and removes air pockets. Flood all around the planting hole, at least 6 inches outside of it. If you see air bubbles in your puddles, do another watering can. If the water sits on the surface and doesn't soak in quickly, your ground is too dry - water with a hose or rose to wet the ground to a depth, then water in again. This is a planting activity, not a daily watering.
"Water it regularly" - in normal weather (whatever normal is for you), for a regular plant (not a bog plant or cactus!), water once a week. If it's hot, double the frequency. If it's a plant that needs moist conditions, halve the frequency again. Do the opposite for the opposite conditions. And most of all, just look closely at your plant. Are the leaves healthy? Does it look droopy or crispy? Let the plant guide you. Remember that rain rarely waters pots.
"Doesn't need much watering" - it'll be fine until you wake up one morning and it's dead in a crispy heap
I meant "do it twice as often". So, once per week in normal conditions. Double that to every 3 or 4 days in hot weather. Double it again to every day or every 2 days for very hot weather or hot weather and plants that need to be well watered.
I can't really offer any watering tips as we have a plentiful natural supply here, and our water charges are a standard rate on our C. Tax, so we can use as much as we want, but a useful one for anyone with a greenhouse, porch, or similar, is to keep a can of water in there during cooler months if you have seedlings or small plants. When they need a watering as they start growing in rising temps, it means the water is a better temperature for them.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...