Questions about when, where and how much to water plants, about techniques for watering and about the equipment gardeners use to deliver water to their plants.
32
votes
3answers
1k views
How do you know if you are watering a plant too much vs. too little?
I live in Arizona, and I can never tell if I am watering my plants too little or too much. Plants are very touchy here - and you have to be able to read the signs correctly. I can't.
What signs are ...
32
votes
2answers
472 views
What factors affect the spiciness of jalapeños?
Researching growing jalapeños, I've seen people mention how water-starving your jalapeño plants can lead to spicier peppers. How true is this? If there's any truth to it, what tips can you provide ...
29
votes
6answers
1k views
Is it bad to water plants in the evening?
Is it bad to water plants after the sun has gone down or near dusk? If so, why?
20
votes
3answers
4k views
How to prevent avocado from drying out indoors?
I have an avocado plant that has grown indoors since it was a pit. It grew first in a badly insulated, north-facing, wet and cool house, where it grew splendidly. After i moved to a well insulated ...
19
votes
4answers
742 views
Any benefit to watering whole plant (leaves and all) instead of just the soil/roots?
A question I often wonder about when watering outdoor pots in the dead heat of summer. Should I just make sure the soil in the bed/pot is watered sufficiently, or is it necessary/advisable to also ...
16
votes
4answers
3k views
Is rain water better than tap water for plants?
Is it better to water your plants with rain water collected in water butts? I mean is that better than water straight from the tap?
And is it just a matter of temperature (presumably plants don't ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
Does eating fruits and vegetables watered with greywater affect your health?
Does using greywater on your fruit and vegetable garden affect your health in a negative way?
Greywater is the run-off or cast off water that lolls about when you do normal washing around the home. ...
15
votes
6answers
1k views
How do I keep an indoor plant hydrated while I'm away?
I'm trying to grow chili plants in my dorm room. So far I'm just starting, so I have just four small pots (until they grow larger and I have to give them a bigger home). I'm usually away for only a ...
14
votes
5answers
166 views
What is the right watering schedule for the different areas of my front lawn?
I recently bought a house, and would like to keep my lawn looking as nice as everyone else's in my neighborhood. Right now I water every zone 5-8 minutes, every other day. This is just something I ...
14
votes
2answers
176 views
Is a little watering still better than no watering, when plants are thirsty?
I understand that it's important to water sufficiently and not just dampen the surface.
But does it actually do damage to water very briefly, or is it better than nothing? I'm thinking about a ...
12
votes
3answers
243 views
How do you water tiny seedlings?
I just germinated some mini sinningia from seed and the seedlings are very small. When I water the soil, the soil mixture just floats on the water because some of them are perlite. The perlite and ...
12
votes
3answers
1k views
Does water temperature affect vegetable plant growth?
Generally speaking, when watering a vegetable garden, are there any benefits to using cold water vs warm or vice versa?
I'm in Wisconsin, so 90+°F is about as hot as it gets around here. Typically ...
12
votes
2answers
251 views
Why would healthy potatoes come out tasting dry and crumbly?
I plant maincrop potatoes every year. Last year, I planted 50 Desiree in mid-April, in the usual way (15" apart, in rows 2' apart, in light, sandy soil that had been conditioned and fertilised several ...
12
votes
1answer
319 views
Garden Hoses: how safe are they?
After noticing that some garden hoses carry a warning, "Not to be used for drinking water", I recently switched to one labelled "non-toxic". Does this only mean that the hose is lead-free, or also ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views
Why have my tomato leaves started yellowing at the base?
One of my tomato plants (Better Boys if that matters) has a few leaves that have started yellowing on the lower branches. Not sure if they aren't getting enough water, or if they are diseased or what. ...
11
votes
1answer
236 views
What should I do about standing water in potted plant?
I have a large (70L?) moulded plastic pot which is filled with topsoil, and has a freshly planted lilac bush in it. I had noticed this pot did not have drainage holes at the bottom, but had thought ...
10
votes
4answers
933 views
Will the effectiveness of soaker hoses degrade too much if I connect multiple ones together?
I'm looking to use soaker hoses on my tomatoes this year and need a bit over 100 feet to get all the plants. The maximum length I can get one in is 50 feet so I would need three hoses to get ...
10
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I repair a soaker hose?
I laid out a soaker hose system for my garden this year. Unfortunately a few weeks ago I went to turn it on and noticed a loud spraying sound coming from one area, when I removed some mulch the water ...
10
votes
1answer
223 views
Is there a rule of thumb for caring for potted plants in office?
I've recently been made responsible for watering and taking care of many small potted plants around our office, and I have little to no gardening experience. There are many different types of plants, ...
10
votes
1answer
3k views
What does it mean if my tomato leaves are curling?
The leaves on my tomato plants are curling up and I'm wondering if they are getting enough water. The leaves are still green and there are tomatoes on the plant, but I didn't know if that was a sign ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Which plants/trees will benefit from using urine as a fertilizer?
We know that urine can do a plant good. Certain plants (like citrus trees) will absolutely do well if you add urine to their intake.
But urine is very high in nitrogen and could potentially "burn" ...
10
votes
2answers
2k views
How long do you water after planting grass?
I have just planted some grass seed to replace some grass lost after the dry summer. I have been watering it daily for 3-4 days. How long should I keep this up?
10
votes
1answer
134 views
What are the differences between above and below ground irrigation?
Is there a major difference in effectiveness of delivery of water/nutrients through the use of above ground (sprinkler, flooding, etc) versus below ground (buried drip pipes) irrigation systems?
10
votes
1answer
3k views
Schefflera arboricola - where to place it? Too much water?
I have a Schefflera Arboricola (also known as Strahlenaralie). I've placed it in my office so that it receives some sunshine, but not directly - I've put it behind a plastic plant (on the right on the ...
10
votes
1answer
141 views
How do I manage different water flows with a drip irrigation system in my vegetable garden?
A year ago, we redid our yard and put in a nice vegetable garden. It's got two raised beds about 3 x 8 and a bunch of pots. I bought my wife a drip irrigation system so that watering would be easier ...
10
votes
1answer
458 views
How do I set up a roof top garden in a tropical climate?
I live in India. I have quite some space in the terrace. The roofing is of concrete slab with some weather-proofing done and red oxide tiles laid above. The climate is tropical ( Chennai ). I would ...
9
votes
2answers
3k views
How much should I water my cherry tree sapling?
My good friend's dad helped me plant a cherry tree sapling (about a handspan high) the other day (I don't know what kind). He brought over the rooted pot, dug the requisite 18-24cm depth, and ...
9
votes
1answer
147 views
What is a good watering routine for a bonsai?
If I have just purchased a bonsai, what is a good watering routine that I should start with and how should I adjust this routine regularly?
9
votes
2answers
284 views
How should I treat a frangipani?
I've just potted a frangipani cutting given to me by a friend and since it's not in it's natural climate, I'm wondering what conditions it will thrive in? If it matters, I live in a temperate zone.
...
8
votes
2answers
760 views
How much water is lost in watering your lawn during the day?
I've always heard not to water your lawn during the day and that the fine water droplets will evaporate before it is absorbed by the lawn (either in the air or while sitting above ground). But how ...
8
votes
4answers
277 views
What is the right time to water my lawn?
I finally own my home and this is my first spring. I have a decent front lawn that I want to keep as green as possible. I've always been told not to water in the day as it can burn the grass (as a ...
7
votes
3answers
75 views
What is the effect of watering on the temperature of the garden?
We have a large garden (<2 acres) that we are growing for the Post Falls, ID. food bank. The farmer is supplying the water. We have 5 zones across the garden and move the sprinklers three times ...
7
votes
2answers
282 views
Can we use sprayers to water plants?
I have a colleague who is a beginner at gardening. He is trying to plant something. He bought a pre-packed plant with soil inside a can. He just put the seeds in the soil and borrowed my sprayer to ...
7
votes
3answers
550 views
What is the best way to automatically water my garden?
I am in the process of starting a small garden (6'x9'). My current sprinkler system doesn't do a great job of covering the area where I have placed the garden, so I would like to tap off of my ...
7
votes
2answers
173 views
Water system for houseplants during holidays
I have a very resilient cactus that can be left alone for a month without consequences.
Now, I want to leave it alone during two months and leave it some water system.
I have seen little earthen ...
7
votes
2answers
189 views
Is it OK to skip watering outdoor plants in the winter in California?
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the summer, as it almost never rains here, I end up watering plants in the backyard every 2 to 3 days. In the winter, it rains more regularly. However, when it ...
7
votes
2answers
502 views
PC controlled irrigation system
I am investigating the use of a PC to control my yard irrigation system. The research that I've done has only revealed one system with the (unfortunate) name of Irritrol.
Have you used your PC to ...
7
votes
1answer
216 views
Will african violet fertilizer diffuse through clay pots?
I have several african violets in special clay pots. The pots kind of resemble a double boiler, and the lower pot is filled with water, then the upper section, containing the plant, is unglazed on its ...
7
votes
1answer
373 views
How do I make a wooden container fit for growing stuff in it?
I have bought a number of used wooden containers that I would like to grow Thuja trees and various vegetables in:
they are about 1 foot wide, 2 feet long, and 1 foot tall.
Being an amateur in ...
6
votes
4answers
621 views
How do I keep my balcony flowers hydrated while I'm away?
Seeing this indoor question made me look for an outdoor version of the same but found nothing, so here goes:
We've got a balcony with a very large planter on the outside in which we have planted some ...
6
votes
2answers
195 views
How much watering does aloe require?
An aloe plant I have on my table now has leaves with yellowish ends and I'd like to somehow address it. I Googled for a while and found that in case of aloe this may be a sign of either underwatering ...
6
votes
3answers
146 views
How do I protect the roots and adjust watering levels in a non-draining indoor pot?
The long, winding backstory: We have a rubber tree which has been in the same pot for ages. It has been moved twice, and in our new home we're still trying to find it a spot it likes. Recently, ...
6
votes
1answer
306 views
Why do plants root when placed in water, but die in standing water
A lot of plants need well drained soil. They're said to not like getting their feet wet. The explanation given is that the root need oxygen and will die and rot if they're in standing water for too ...
6
votes
3answers
183 views
Non mechanical plant watering systems?
I travel too much, and, honestly I don't really have a green thumb plants. Still, I like them and would be happy to keep some resilient plants if could get geeky about it :)
I was trying to figure ...
6
votes
2answers
188 views
One of my indoor pepper plants seems to drink less water than its peers. Should I be concerned?
When I water my potted peppers, they all get pretty much the same amount of water, as I have a small jug that I've discovered provides just enough water to soak through the soil and just start seeping ...
6
votes
1answer
226 views
Why does the water in my rain barrel evaporate quickly?
I have some rain barrels in my yard. After a certain amount of tinkering, they collect rain water well. However, I notice that a day or two after the rain, most of the water is gone. I've checked for ...
6
votes
2answers
593 views
How much space can I leave between soaker hoses in my garden?
I'm in the process of planting my garden, and I had planned 3 ft wide raised beds with a single soaker hose running down the center of each one. I am using a square foot layout, so there will be 3 ...
6
votes
2answers
118 views
cultivating a cactus from cutting
I've recently gotten a san pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) cutting as a gift. I'm trying to take care of it as good as possible, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it the right way.
The situation is: the ...
6
votes
0answers
160 views
Why can't I get reticulation to work in spring?
Spring has sprung and it's time to turn on my reticulation (bore).
My retic worked back in May but now (October) I turn it on and no water comes out.
I can hear the pump going but no water comes ...
5
votes
4answers
525 views
Which US states restrict rain water harvesting?
Does anyone have an up-to-date list of which US states require a permit or otherwise restrict land owners from harvesting water? I know Washington, Utah, and Colorado were on the list at one point.
