The best time of day to water garden plants to avoid ruining them is not in the morning
Watering plants “at the wrong time” is one of the “worst mistakes” a gardener can make in hot weather.
So when is the best time to begin this task? Plant experts state: “In spring and autumn, water early in the morning, but in summer it’s best to wait until the evening as watering in the sun can cause plants to burn.”
Watering in the evening is less likely to evaporate, which means the plant will get all the water it needs.
If you water in the evening, there is less chance that the water will evaporate before it gets to the plant.
However, there is a claim that the “best time” to water plants is “early morning when the temperature outside is cooler, between 5am and 9am”.
As to why watering plants early in the morning will “result in less water lost to evaporation” as the day warms up.
While the time of day matters, the volume of water is also important, and although plants are thirsty in the heat, less is more in hot weather.
You should not “lightly spray plants with water every day.”
Instead, “it’s better to soak them well every couple of days (especially in warm weather) than to spray them quickly every day.”
There’s no exact science to this, but if the soil looks nice and moist and doesn’t dry out quickly, “you’ve probably done a good job.”
However, “Be careful not to over-water or over-saturate the soil – not only can this damage the plants, but it will also result in the loss of valuable water.”
