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Many people are not sure when to water their
flowers. But don't wait until they wilt. Wilted flowers are under
severe stress, which results in poor bloom yield and increases
their susceptibility to insects and disease. Instead, keep an
eye on your garden for leaves that have lost their gloss and soil
that has become hard and dry.
Water before the heat of the day, in the morning,
even before sunrise. Watering early gives the water a chance to
soak in rather than evaporating away. Plus, if there is some excess
water that cannot be absorbed, it will have a chance to evaporate.
Watering in the evening allows the water to soak in, but excess
water will not evaporate and will foster fungal damage.
It is important to water deeply to encourage
deep root growth. Light watering results in roots that stay near
the surface, because that is where the water is. The shallow ground
dries out quickly and so the plant will need more frequent watering.
The deeper soil remains moist longer and so the plant is less
likely to suffer during a drought. Shallow roots also reduce a
plants ability to cope with disease.
Water slowly for an extended period of time,
up to an hour, rather than flooding a plant for a short period
of time.
Most plants do best if you water the ground rather
than the plant itself. Water on the leaves can lead to fungus,
disease and burning. Clearly, plants get wet when it rains, and
they can tolerate being wet, but that isn't necessarily what is
best for them. When watering the ground around the plant, keep
in mind that the pounding of a strong stream of water will tend
to compact the soil and can damage the roots of some plants.
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