Column: Watering tips for flowers and plants

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By Bob Wasson

With all the talk about the importance of adults “staying hydrated,” consider this: the average adult male is comprised of 65 percent water; most animals consist of about 75 percent water. But plants, on average, are 90 percent water. If you see shriveled or discolored leaves, limp stems or dropping petals, it’s a sure sign the plants in your yard aren’t getting enough H2O.

So here are some watering tips that will help keep your outdoor plants blooming all season long.

It’s the roots of your flowers and plants that need water, not the leaves. In fact, watering foliage can promote the spread of fungus and disease — especially during hot, humid summer weather.

If you don’t have an irrigation system in your yard, a soaker hose or an extension wand attached to a basic garden hose is a great way to apply water to the roots of your plants.  They will help you water all your vegetation deeply and thoroughly — and without wasting a lot of water.

Mulch will slow the rate of moisture loss from your soil. So be sure to mulch all your flowerbeds.

The best time of the day to water is early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler and there’s less evaporation.

Plants in containers dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground. Most successful container gardeners water their outdoor pots once a day — especially when the temperature climbs into the mid-80’s or higher.

You may want to install a rain gauge somewhere in your yard to be sure your flowers and plants are receiving at least one inch of water per week. If Mother Nature isn’t supplying the moisture they need, then you’ll need to lend a hand.

Remember, good hydration is essential to maintain a hardy, healthy, productive garden.

Bob Wasson is President of Operations at Wasson Nursery located in Muncie just 30 minutes north of Hamilton Town Center on I-69.

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Column: Watering tips for flowers and plants

0

By Bob Wasson

With all the talk about the importance of adults “staying hydrated,” consider this: the average adult male is comprised of 65 percent water; most animals consist of about 75 percent water. But plants, on average, are 90 percent water. If you see shriveled or discolored leaves, limp stems or dropping petals, it’s a sure sign the plants in your yard aren’t getting enough H2O.

So here are some watering tips that will help keep your outdoor plants blooming all season long.

It’s the roots of your flowers and plants that need water, not the leaves. In fact, watering foliage can promote the spread of fungus and disease — especially during hot, humid summer weather.

If you don’t have an irrigation system in your yard, a soaker hose or an extension wand attached to a basic garden hose is a great way to apply water to the roots of your plants.  They will help you water all your vegetation deeply and thoroughly — and without wasting a lot of water.

Mulch will slow the rate of moisture loss from your soil. So be sure to mulch all your flowerbeds.

The best time of the day to water is early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler and there’s less evaporation.

Plants in containers dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground. Most successful container gardeners water their outdoor pots once a day — especially when the temperature climbs into the mid-80’s or higher.

You may want to install a rain gauge somewhere in your yard to be sure your flowers and plants are receiving at least one inch of water per week. If Mother Nature isn’t supplying the moisture they need, then you’ll need to lend a hand.

Remember, good hydration is essential to maintain a hardy, healthy, productive garden.

Bob Wasson is President of Operations at Wasson Nursery located in Muncie just 30 minutes north of Hamilton Town Center on I-69.

Share.

Column: Watering tips for flowers and plants

0

By Bob Wasson

With all the talk about the importance of adults “staying hydrated,” consider this: the average adult male is comprised of 65 percent water; most animals consist of about 75 percent water. But plants, on average, are 90 percent water. If you see shriveled or discolored leaves, limp stems or dropping petals, it’s a sure sign the plants in your yard aren’t getting enough H2O.

So here are some watering tips that will help keep your outdoor plants blooming all season long.

It’s the roots of your flowers and plants that need water, not the leaves. In fact, watering foliage can promote the spread of fungus and disease — especially during hot, humid summer weather.

If you don’t have an irrigation system in your yard, a soaker hose or an extension wand attached to a basic garden hose is a great way to apply water to the roots of your plants.  They will help you water all your vegetation deeply and thoroughly — and without wasting a lot of water.

Mulch will slow the rate of moisture loss from your soil. So be sure to mulch all your flowerbeds.

The best time of the day to water is early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler and there’s less evaporation.

Plants in containers dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground. Most successful container gardeners water their outdoor pots once a day — especially when the temperature climbs into the mid-80’s or higher.

You may want to install a rain gauge somewhere in your yard to be sure your flowers and plants are receiving at least one inch of water per week. If Mother Nature isn’t supplying the moisture they need, then you’ll need to lend a hand.

Remember, good hydration is essential to maintain a hardy, healthy, productive garden.

Bob Wasson is President of Operations at Wasson Nursery located in Muncie just 30 minutes north of Hamilton Town Center on I-69.

Share.