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Watering Plants outdoors

JamesOJamesO Posts: 230

Hi I'm just interested in getting better at pacing watering plants, with the weather we have at the moment with little rain for some days now and just a chance of a little on Sunday in some areas how long would you leave it temps are mid to high teens

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    Are the plants in pots or in the soil?



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • JamesOJamesO Posts: 230

    have a mixture I know to water stuff that's been moved or new  it's getting a better understanding of perennials that are coming up bushes and grasses timeframe you can leave before watering if there is nothing coming as overwatering is no good as well. 

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    In the garden I only water what has been planted in the current season. I wouldn't expect anything established to need watering for ages yet.

    I choose plants that grow in my soil and climate though, I would expect to water more if I planted moisture lovers.

    Pots seem to need attention most days through the summer



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • I rarely hydrate the soil around established plants except a little in the morning following really hot weather , the rain, groundwater and roots are there for the plants to scavenge available water. There's enough water potential for the roots to develop.. I have a rich water-retaining loamy soil with loads of organic matter that was once a spodzol though and rain is never far off either. Things would be very different on a light sandy soil or other non macro-aggregat (clod) forming one.

    Play with your soil, feel it, manipulate it, plonk it in water and sensing how it reacts is the easiest way to acquaint yourself with your soil and it's water-retaining characteristics.

    Take a handful of earth, add water to make it malleable.

    Will it form a ball? N=sandy, will not hold water

    Does the clod crumble when pinched?

    Can you make a ribbon from the soil y = has significant clay will hold water'

    These standard basic soil mechanics tests can tell you a lot about soils.

    Transplants, annually-grown veg, containerised I water though, but no real science applied. 

    See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UA5QxJMP00&list=PLC2E11B648F07C220&index=2

  • BrummieBenBrummieBen Posts: 460

    The question is this.. the nice weather we've had last week might shift on, then 1 or 2 at night.. How is your soil, free draining or clay? Also look at the plants, especially shrubs, you can see from their leaves usually what they need. If you do water, sparsely, like less than a pint. Welcome to the world of gardening, where advice and books can help, but if you are an expert, you realise it's all a tightrope, and a very fine balancing act at that.. Therein lies the skill, to maintain your plants regardless of the curveballs nature throws at you!

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