This story was originally published in May 2020.
Watering is one of the most important aspects of gardening. For first-time gardeners, it can be difficult to determine if you're giving your plants enough water — or, in some cases, too much water — but knowing this is essential to your plant's health and yield.
Kate Garland, horticulture specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, said whether you're gardening in the ground, in a raised bed or in a container may change how well your plants tolerate too much or too little watering.
“When you garden in the ground, even in raised beds, you're usually much more forgiving because moisture can easily move elsewhere away from the roots,” Garland says. “There aren't as many situations where you'll overwater. With container gardening, especially early in the season, there's a risk, even if the pots have drainage holes.”
Forrest Russell of Jefferson runs a garden hose while watering a young apple tree at the entrance to the Juniper Ridge Landfill in Old Town. Photo by Gabor Degre/BDN
If you are watering your garden too much, there are some signs to look out for.
“It's common to see leaves turning yellow,” Garland says, “This is an indication that a lot of nutrients are leaching out of the soil, so the plant's root system may not be as strong. Sometimes the symptoms can look like a drought system because the plant can't absorb the water that's there.”
There are also signs of a lack of water, but the plant will recover more quickly if it dries out a bit.
“You'll often see wilted leaves,” Garland says, “and the plant will recover quickly from wilted leaves. You don't want your plants to have wilted leaves all the time, but an occasional lack of water isn't a big deal. Overall, it will reduce your yield.”
However, lack of water can be more of an issue in container gardens.
“With certain crops, blossom rot can occur in container gardens or in well-drained gardens. [where] “Plants can’t absorb calcium, which is very important for fruit development,” she says. “In container gardens, mulching is very helpful. [with an] Put compost or straw on top [to] It promotes more consistent soil moisture.”
Dan Wilson sets up the watering system for the hanging baskets at Holden's Hummingbird Hollow Conservatory. Photo by Gabor Degre/BDN
Either way, the best technique is to water deeper and less frequently.
“You want to water infrequently and thoroughly,” Garland says, “so the plant can develop a deeper root system. Watering shallowly and frequently will result in a shallower root system.”
A good rule of thumb for growing plants, Garland says, is to water them at least an inch deep once a week. She has a test she likes to use: the finger test.
“After watering, stick your finger in a little bit to see if the water has penetrated to at least that deep for young seedlings,” Garland says. “The root system of a mature plant is usually in the top 6 to 8 inches.”
Once you know how long it will take to water to that depth, you can go by time instead of measurements. Garland says that in her previous gardening classes for children, she had them sing their ABCs three times as they watered their flower beds.
“Once you know how long it takes to water, you can time it yourself instead of watering it with your finger every time,” Garland says. “It's hard to say. It basically depends on the water pressure.”
Bangor resident Melissa Childs works for ArborTech Landscapes in Brewer and waters flowers for the Brewer company. Photo by Bob DeLong/BDN
Garland also recommends purchasing a rain gauge for your yard to get an idea of how much water nature is providing at any given time.
“Most people are really surprised at how little rain we typically get,” Garland said, “and we often only get about a tenth to a quarter of an inch in one go. Most gardens usually need supplemental water.” [Plus,] It looks like a dry season right now. I'm no meteorologist or anything, but I'm amazed at how dry the soil is already.”
If you have a container garden, you can also measure the amount of water by tilting the pot and weighing it.
“If you have smaller pots, you can tilt them a little bit,” Garland says, “so you can see how heavy the pot is, and how heavy a pot is when it's fully filled with water. Even if you're lazy and in a hurry, just tilt it a little bit with your foot.”
