If you have plants, flowers or a garden at home, you know that taking care of them is not always obvious. You have to make sure that your plants have the right amount of light and, especially, water. An excess of water can be fatal to them since they can easily die.
Learn how to water your garden properly with these few tricks. Your plants will look lovely and healthy throughout the year!
1. Observe your plants
Take the time to look at your plants. You will be able to determine their need for water.
- If their leaves are small, spiky, shiny, fleshy or waxy, they do not need much water.
- If their leaves are thin, soft or large, it is because they consume a lot of water.
2. Water them in the morning
Make it a habit to water your flowers, vegetable garden and hedges before 9:30 am. The leaves will dry quickly. The quicker they dry, the less risk of developing fungi.
3. Pick the right water
Plants prefer rainwater better than tap water. Indeed, it is low in limestone and it is at room temperature. You can collect your rainwater and add, from time to time, a piece of charcoal or activated charcoal in the water. You can also use plain mineral water as well as potato and egg cooking water (when cold and unsalted).
4. Give your plants a shower
Twice a year, shower your plants, including your cacti and your large-leaved plants. Put them outdoors in the rain or give them a good shower with your watering can. Avoid giving them water with limestone.
5. Make an irrigation system
Make an affordable DIY irrigation system using a plastic bottle. This is how to do it:
- Cut off the neck of the bottle and put the neck in the ground.
- Fill the bottle with water.
6. Verify how fast your plants absorb the water
It is important to check your plants when you water them. Water the youngest plants near the roots. If you forget to water them, water a first time and start again 30 minutes later. Look at the surface of the ground. If the soil is dry up to 3 cm deep, water for 60 minutes. If it is dry up to 5 cm deep, water for 90 minutes.
7. Break the soil
Help water penetrate the soil by regularly breaking the earth. After a downpour, hoe only on the surface.
8. Every plant is different
Some plants may require a different kind of watering. Cacti and citrus fruits, for example, like watering by immersion, while trees require a sprinkling of rootlets. Ask about watering to prioritize according to the type of plant you have.
9. Mistakes to avoid
- Do not water leaves;
- Avoid watering your plant with too hot or too cold water;
- Stagnant water is bad for plants. Therefore, make it a habit to air out the earth.
