This post was going to be about the beautiful winter annuals that were still blooming a few weeks ago.
However, the heat took me by surprise; I was not expecting this much heat this early. We have just finished planting the summer annuals and summer veggies in our gardens. These newly installed plants are going to very stressed with the sudden heat. So, I thought it was a perfect time to review how to really water a plant. The following photos show what a small plant looks like when it has not been watered enough.
The Four keys to helping the plant survive are:
Water early in the morning
Water thoroughly – the key is for the entire root mass to be wet. But sparingly – every other day for new plants or every 3rd day.
Water the roots, not the leaves – the roots take up the moisture not the leaves
Check the roots of the plants before watering to see if they are moist. If they are, do not water. This following photo is an example of over-watering. The perennial looks stressed but it is over watered. Look closely and you can see the green tint on the soil and the black rot that is starting to kill the perennial.
