When is the best time of day to water your plants?

There's an art to watering your garden. When you know the best time of day to water outdoor plants, and the tricks to watering them most efficiently, you'll have happier plants.

When is the best time to water plants?

The best time to water outdoor plants is in the morning when temperatures are usually cooler. This gives the plants time to absorb the water so they can get through a long, hot day. The second-best time is late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Night-time watering is not ideal because your plants' leaves may not be able to dry off as quickly as other times of day. Wet leaves are more susceptible to diseases.

That said, water your plants the moment you notice they look wilted. A wilted plant equals a stressed plant that needs immediate help.

How much water do plants need?

The rule of thumb for a vegetable garden or raised bed is an inch of water per week. That's around 60 gallons of water for every 100 square feet of garden. You can keep track of your rainfall by installing a rain gauge or checking local weather information. Or, take off your garden gloves and stick your finger into the soil. If the dirt feels dry two inches below the surface, you need to water.

Best watering tips

Many common fungal and bacterial plant diseases spread more quickly in wet conditions. You can't help when rain gets your plants wet, but you can still minimize diseases by keeping leaves as dry as possible when you water. The best way to give your plants a drink is to put water on the soil near the base of the plant with a hose or watering can. Don't dump water on the plants from above. And do not use overhead sprinklers.

Watering container plants

Plants in containers dry out a lot faster than plants in the ground. Pots absorb heat, which can stress plant roots, and the soil in them dries out much faster than soil in the ground. Container plants generally need to be watered daily. During really hot weather, you may need to even water twice a day, especially smaller containers. 

Extra water for new plants

Plants you've recently added to your garden or a container are going to need more frequent watering than mature, established plants. New plants need time to grow more roots that can suck up water from a larger volume of soil. Whether a perennial, tree, or shrub, if it's been in the ground less than a year, it will need regular watering, more than it will get from rainfall.

Tips for watering indoor plants

Many popular houseplants, such as monstera and philodendrons, hail from tropical regions where rain comes down in sheets. They'll need regular watering to look good. For houseplants native to arid regions (think snake plants and succulents) let the soil dry out between waterings. Make a habit of checking your houseplants once a week to see if they need water. Check the leaves for wilting and test the top inch of soil with your finger to see if it's dry enough to need a drink.