Plants need water to survive, but how much do they need?

The amount varies with many factors:

• Species of plant

• Climate

• Weather

• Recent rainfall

• When it was planted

• Type of soil

• Other factors

On the average for our area, most plants need 1/2 to 1 inches of rain per week.  So do you need to water?

First, you should know the requirements of your plants.  Are they water-loving plants that prefer to grow on the edge of a river or swamp, or do they love a dry area with sandy soil?

You will only need to water a little bit, or not at all, if you’ve had enough rainfall recently.  The ground will hold the soil best if it has a lot of organic matter and if mulch was installed around the plants.  If you have your plants close together – that’s even better. By that, I mean they are physically touching each other.  When plants are crowded together, they create their own micro-climate near the ground which reduces evaporation.

When it’s been hot and sunny for a week or more with no rainfall, even drought-tolerant plants may need a little help.

When you first install plants, they need regular watering until they get established.  That will take at least to the end of the current growing season and sometimes into next year.  Water every 2-3 days and be sure to mulch if your plants aren’t close together.

If you’ve just planted seed, then you need to water twice a day.  Seed needs to be moist and if it sprouts and then dries out, it will probably die.

Each USDA zone may be a bit different and other factors will affect your plants’ needs.  How compacted is your soil?  Are your plants in the sun or shade?  Is your garden exposed to the wind?

You can purchase a water meter from your local garden center to help.  It has prongs that you insert into the ground and a meter that will let you know how moist the soil is.

Take care of your plants and they’ll live a lot longer.