Watering Tips

Keep your containers looking as great as they did on they day they were planted. Water them! Here's how:

Check Moisture Levels

Before watering a container, be sure that the plants need water. Over-watering is just as harmful as under-watering. The soil at surface of the container might look and feel dry to the touch, but the soil might be moist just an inch or two below the surface. To test container moisture, try this: stick your finger into the soil as far as it goes or at least to your second knuckle. If the soil feels dry at your fingertips, the plants need water. ​

Water Deeply

The most important thing to remember when watering containers is to water deeply—this means that you should see water running out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the container. If you don't see watering flowing from the bottom of the container, you have not watered enough. ​

Water in the Morning

Plants are more receptive to watering in the morning and less so in the midday sun. Morning is ideal because it provides sufficient moisture to the plants for the entire day, there is less evaporation caused by wind and heat, and it allows wet foliage to dry out before nightfall. Watering in the evening is not recommended because the foliage does not have enough time to dry before the sun goes down. Wet foliage can invite fungal diseases such as powdery mildew. If you can't water containers in the morning, water them when they're dry no matter what time of day it is. ​

Water the Soil, Not the Foliage

Plants absorb water through their root systems, not through their leaves, stems, or flowers. Thus, to properly water your containers, apply water to the soil where it will reach and be absorbed by the plant roots. Wetting foliage can lead to an increased chance of fungal and other diseases and the water is wasted anyway.

Don't Rely on Rain

Even if you think a rain shower has watered your containers, don't be so certain because it's usually not true. Plant foliage can act like an umbrella and actually prevent water from reaching the soil. With containers filled with mature plants, soil might not even be visible so it's impossible for rain to penetrate the thick growth. Rainfall amounts, even those from a heavy storm, might not be nearly enough to fully saturate container soil from top to bottom. Take matters into your own hands and monitor container moisture yourself, even after a heavy rainfall.