How to best water your plants

It may be simple to manage the amount of sun your plants get, but the amount of water is more difficult to control. Here are some things that will improve your knowledge on watering so you can stop drowning or drying your plants.

A generous and infrequent watering will encourage your plants to search even deeper for water. By promoting root development, this practice makes them less sensitive to drought.

• Avoid prolonged watering with a sprinkler, which can deplete the soil by leaching nutrients.
• Raised beds and seedlings in pots are particularly prone to leaching.
• Conversely, a short watering of only a few centimetres deep weakens the plants. Getting used to looking for surface moisture, they will be more vulnerable in times of drought.
• Some substrates for potted plants are difficult to rehydrate when dry.
• To preserve their moisture, you can add a gel or grains specially designed to retain moisture. By reducing the frequency of watering, these products constitute an attractive investment for those with a large number of potted plants.

To choose an irrigation method, you'll need to consider the area of ​​your garden, your availability and respect any water restrictions.

• You can install a rainwater collector, a greywater recovery system or an automatic sprinkler.
• Check with your municipality or gardening association if you have any doubts about the quantity or quality of the water you use for watering your garden.
• If you water manually, do it in the early morning or late evening to minimize evaporation.
• Avoid spraying when there is wind, because the water evaporates so quickly.

Water and sun are two basic sources of life of the plants, but water is more difficult to manage. If you water too much you can't undo it. Nobody wants their plants to dry out or drown. Put these tips into practice and your plants will thank you!