When is the Worst Time to Water Your Plants?

Believe it or not, there is a best and worst time to water your plants. If you want to keep them healthy and happy then you need to know everything that I am sharing with you today.

Indoor and outdoor plants have lots of specific wants and needs. Each plant has its own personality and will let you know if it’s not happy.

That is why it is important to know everything you can about those wants and needs so that you can keep your plants going strong all year through.

Today we are specifically going to dive into when the worst time is to water your plants as well as the best. I will give you lots of watering tips as well that will help keep your plants healthy as well as happy.

The Worst Time to Water Your Plants

The worst time to water your plants is midday because the sun is at its highest and so are the temperatures. Much of the water will evaporate and won’t reach the roots of the plants where they need it.

Another thing to consider is the water on the leaves could scorch the leaves when subjected to the direct hot sunlight. These rules go for both indoor and outdoor plants. Both of them will not be happy with a midday watering.

Watering in the evening is not ideal because leaving water on the leaves overnight can cause disease and kill your plant.

If you need to water in the evening then the best thing you can do is to make sure you water at the base of the plant and get no water on the leaves.

Using a drip irrigation is great for watering in the evening because the plant is being watered at ground level.

Another option is to use a watering can or hose with a long spout that will reach in and water the plant at ground level keeping those leaves dry.

The Best Time to Water Your Plants

Hands down the best time to water your plants is in the morning. Soaking the roots in the early morning gives them a boost to make it through the hot sun and temps.

If you happen to get the leaves wet the morning sunlight will gently dry the leaves before the direct hot sun of midday and likely not have any ill effects.

Make sure you know your plants. Some indoor plants like to be watered weekly and don’t like to be dry for long while others like to dry out completely before getting another drink of water.

When it comes to outdoor plants there are a lot of variables on when the best time to water is. Depending on the temperature, humidity, rainfall, and the plant’s needs itself you might find yourself watering some plants daily while others only weekly.

The Best Way to Water Your Plants

The best way to water both indoor and outdoor plants whether they are in pots or in the ground, is to check and see if they are dry first then water at the base of the plant.

Check The Soil

The first step in determining if your plants even need water is to check the soil. The best way to do this is with the finger test.

Put your finger down one to two inches into the soil and check for moisture. If it’s moist then you can hold off on watering. If it’s dry then it’s time to water.

Another thing you should check with the soil is if it has become compact. After time some potting mixes can lose their ability to hold water and you will notice the water going right through and draining out of the bottom of the pot.

If this happens it’s a good time to repot your plant. If the water is going right through then the plant won’t have the ability to soak up any of the water.

Water at the Soil

Even with houseplants, it’s a good idea to water at the soil. Getting water on leaves is not beneficial to the plant and can have the potential for causing disease. Always water at the soil.

With outdoor plants, this can sometimes be tedious. A great way to accomplish this is to install a drip system where the plants get a steady amount of water directly into the soil.

This allows the roots to take in as much water as possible without causing issues for the leaves.

The Worst Time to Water Plants Recap

This topic might seem silly but it’s one of the most important things you can do to make sure you have healthy and strong plants. Let’s go over the best and worst times to water plants as well as some watering tips:

• The two worst times to water are midday and in the evening.
• The best time to water is in the morning.
• Always water at the soil of the plant to prevent leaving moisture on leaves.
• Check the soil before you water to see if the plant even needs it.
• Make sure the soil isn’t compact.
• Consider a drip system so the plants get a consistent amount of water right where they need it.

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