Watering Potted Plants
Forum Archives
GardenNut
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-27-2005 at 5:51pm
When is the best time to water potted plants? In the morning, so that they have the most water during the hottest part of the day? Or in the evening, so they have all night to soak up the water? I guess, barring disease problems, this would go for non-potted plants as well.
Chris Sunset 4 USDA 8a
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-27-2005 at 6:15pm
I'd say in the morning. Or of course whenever you have time is good too! Sometimes when it's really hot like today and I can tell they are suffering a little shock from the heat I water them with cool water just to lower the tempature. Don't water the leaves in burning hot sun. Some plants like the heat so watering in the morning is good because the soil can warm up over the day. I assume you are watering with cool water from the hose.
Fern
growest
Location: Western British Columbia
Posted: May-29-2005 at 4:31pm
Chris--the commercial container nurseries now often sprinkle during the hottest part of the day.
The research has shown that plants shut down when their tissues get too hot, so sprinkling to cool them a bit allows them to continue to grow during the heat of a hot day, when they would normally be doing little or nothing.
They also have found no adverse effects from water on foliage in the hot sun.
Just the opposite, as I've noticed the last couple days...heat scorch from leaves in the heat and sun that got so hot the tissue was killed. Some rhodos and hydrangea among others showing this after the last couple days of near 30C.
For water conservation, of course, the middle of the day sprinkling is discouraged...
Glen
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-29-2005 at 9:44pm
This is interesting. So the droplets of water don't act like magnifying glass and burn holes in the leaves? I will have to try it on a plant I don't care much about. I like watering during hot times because it cools the air down too. I saw a fatsia leaf that had heat scorch from the last 3 days.
Fern
LeAnn
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-29-2005 at 10:27pm
Interesting post. I love the potted plants. But hate the feeling of being tied to a hose. "Sorry, I can't get together today after work: I have to get home to water my pots" is a bummer. I'm trying out Soil Moist Granules this year. It says it's a "polymer designed to reduce plant waterings. It absorbs water similiar to a sponge, when the soil dries, the stored water is released to the soil over an extended period of time. Soil Moist will reduce plant waterings by 50% and last several seasons."
Anyone else used this product before? And, is it an environmentally friendly product?
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: May-30-2005 at 11:31am
Yes, LeAnne, I tried it for the first time in April and used it in the pots that I have by the front door, on the north side of the house, gets minimal sun, I put Coleus in the pots and right after I potted them we had that seige of cold wet rain for about 3 weeks and during that time I didnt worry too about watering. Guess what, the coleus look terrible, limp and withered. I was pretty surprised, the information clerk at Portland nursery told me that those grannuels swell up and they absorb the water before the plants can and you end up watering the crystals, not the plants--When the instructions say water liberally, you are first watering the crystals to fully expand absorbing maximum water, I think they should add--and allow potting soil/crystals to adjust and expand for 24 hours before filling up the pot. One pot's soil pushed up over the edge of the pot with a globule of product lying on top about the size of robin's egg. I think it is probably environmentally friendly, but if not fully saturated, doesnt produce the results promised. Remember when it gets hot to water liberally.
Carol
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-30-2005 at 10:12pm
Sorry to say- I water in the morning and evening. Just the price you pay for potted plants! To avoid some of that, move them around in the early sun, then afternoon shade.
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-31-2005 at 4:08pm
We've talked about the water polymer crystals before. Gary posted some links for us. I'll see if I can find them again since I'm pretty sure you'll find the info useful.
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-31-2005 at 10:17pm
That polymer is cool, just dont fit with my organic way fo doing thing.!!!
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Jun-01-2005 at 7:19am
I've wondered about the water polymers myself. They sound like a good idea in some causes but would it keep the soil wet for too long for plants that like to dry out some? I know Coleus hates cool weather and if you overwater it even once during cool weather it starts to rot. I'm on the verge of not liking coleus because it is so hard to keep healthy at our unheated nursery. What if you wanted to put a plant with moderate water needs in a bed of low water need plants? I was wondering if the polymer crystals would work for that. Good warning about watering and waiting for the crystals to expand before planting!
Fern
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-01-2005 at 8:46am
Hmmmm. Seems like working with the polymers can be a little tricky until you can control the amount of water and can count on no supplemental water. Not quite sold on them myself.
Jeanne
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-01-2005 at 9:48am
I used it in Mexico in the ground and in containers and found it quite effective in the sand with some organic material added. The whole key is to use the proper amount, mix and wet thoroughly, and lastly, "right product, right place". In other words, don't use it with plants that prefer dry soil, demand excellent drainage,or such as the cold hating, prone-to-rot coleus Fern mentioned.
HarleyLady
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
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