Over the course of lockdown, we’re sure that many of you have taken to gardening to get some extra nature in your life!

Whether it be inside or outside plants, giving them the correct amount of water at the right time is important for keeping the spark alive. Join us as we provide some plant-watering pointers for you.

How Do Plants Use The Water?

When watering the soil that houses the plant, the water travels down and is absorbed into the roots.

The roots then transport all of the vital nutrients through them, into the stem, and then into the leaves.

These nutrients are what plants need to grow and survive, in addition to sunlight for photosynthesis, which uses 1% of the given water. Both water and sunlight are needed for the plant to make food for itself through this process.

As the water reaches the leaves, it evaporates in a process called transpiration through small holes that also allow air to enter and exit the plant. This causes more water to be pulled up through the plant from the roots.

So… How Should We Water Our Plants?

Now we know how the plants use the water, how can we make sure we are giving our flowery friends the things they need?

We want to aim to get as much water into the soil as possible, making sure that water isn’t left on the leaves as this can cause fungal problems in the long run.

We also want to ensure that our watering is thorough and spread throughout the soil, rather than frequent; this will help get the water into the deepest roots.

Over at Patch, they have a great diagram for a good signal on watering your plants. You can dip your finger into the soil to determine the levels of moisture still there.

It’s a very simple process that, if you aren’t afraid of getting your hands a little dirtier, can lead to some very healthy plants.

Gardening Know How provide some great information on watering your plants in the morning and afternoon.

Plants should always be watered early in the morning whilst it is still cool (given that your finger dip test has returned a dry result!).

This allows the water to seep into the soil without excess water being lost to evaporation. This also allows the plant to have access to a source of water throughout the day, allowing it to fully enjoy any sunlight.

If you aren’t able to water them in the morning, the next best thing to do is water them in the late afternoon or just into the early evening.

This has the same benefit of avoiding excess water evaporation but has a different effect in terms of sunlight. This will cause your plants to fully take up the water and prepare for the sun in the morning.

Both options work just as well, so you can work this around your busy schedule or go with whichever you decide is best!

Give both you and your plants some love and get a premium water filtration system.

Check out our water filters and give us a call on 01462 455772 so we can give your plants (and you!) the best drinking water possible.