As summer approaches, our plants’ need for water changes with the climbing sun and rising temperatures. Knowing how and when to water your houseplants, patio plants and flowering annuals in the summer is important for keeping them healthy and beautiful all through the season. Here, we share a few summer watering tips for your container plants – indoors and out – and show you a few of our favorite watering tools that make the job a lot easier.
More Sun Means Thirstier Plants
In the summer, photosynthesis is in high gear as more direct light reaches our plants than other times of the year. With that, plants need more water to support this process. Plus, high temperatures and breezy days tend to dry out the soil faster too.
Even indoor plants respond to the increasing light values and need more frequent water than they did in the winter months.
When to Water in the Summer
How often a potted plant needs water depends on several factors including the size of the container, the type of plant, the amount of sun, environmental conditions — temperature, humidity, wind — and how fully rooted the plant is in its container.
As a general rule, it’s a good idea with most indoor and outdoor plants to let the top inch or so of soil dry out before watering. This allows air to interact with the roots, which is critical for healthy plant growth. So, for most plants, if the soil on top is visibly wet, it’s probably better to wait until the next day and check again.
Outside, a small container – about 12” in diameter or less – will likely need water at least once a day in the summer. Hanging baskets are often small and made of porous materials, so they fall into this category too. Larger containers – especially those 18” and above – may be able to skip a day or two between waterings, since a larger volume of potting mix dries more slowly.
But some plants just prefer more or less water too. A cactus sitting outdoors in a small pot may need to be watered only a couple times a week, whereas a large palm in a big pot may like a drink every day. By the same token, plants in the sun tend to need water more often than plants in the shade.
Of course, rainfall has an impact too – but maybe not as much as you think. Unless there’s a heavy rain, it’s still a good idea to check how much water your plants actually received. A light rain may never reach the soil surface because the plant’s foliage can act like a kind of umbrella. Or it just might not be enough to soak the entire potting mix.
Indoors, your houseplants may need a drink more often in the summer too. To avoid overwatering most foliage houseplants though, remember to let the soil surface dry a bit before picking up the watering can again.
How to Water in the Summer
The amount of water you give and how you apply it are important components too. As we say, roots go where the water goes. So to ensure a deep, healthy root system,the entire volume of potting mix should receive moisture – from the top to the bottom of the container. You’ll know you’ve achieved this when lots of excess water drains out the bottom of the pot.
It’s also a good idea to use a setting on your watering wand that diffuses the falling water into a rain-like shower, rather than a harsh blast. This keeps the soil surface in place while allowing the water to slowly penetrate the soil and soak in completely.
And keeping the shower close to the soil surface – rather than watering over the top of the foliage – ensures that the water makes good contact with the soil. This technique also prevents damage to the blooms as well as fungal disease in the foliage.
The Best Tools for the Job
Having the right tool makes watering all kinds of plants easier and more effective. Most likely you’ll appreciate having a watering can for indoors as well as one for outside, plus a watering wand to attach to an outdoor hose too. Here are some of our favorites.
Outdoor Watering Can with a Large Head
Your outdoor containers and patio plants probably need more water than a small indoor watering can supply efficiently. Or maybe you need a vessel to mix and apply water-soluble fertilizer. A large watering can is perfect for both jobs. And one with a large watering head spreads out the flowing water so the plants and soil get a nice shower rather than a direct, soil-shifting blast from a narrow stream.
Dramm Watering Wand
When it’s time to water a large number of outdoor containers that are perhaps located here and there around the landscape and even hanging above your head, then it’s time for a hose and a watering wand. Dramm has been a leader in watering technology for decades, and the aerating heads on their wands spread the powerful flood coming from a hose into a soft, rain-like shower that soaks thoroughly into the soil without disrupting it or your plants’ roots.
Be Ready for the Heat
With the heat of the summer, comes more time spent watering, but with a few easy tips and the right tools, it should be a worry-free task. If you have more questions, just stop by or give us a call. We’re always happy to answer any questions or show you the watering tools we love to use in our own homes and gardens.
