Watering plants properly - a few tips | Garden maintenance 2025

Watering plants sounds very easy to the layperson. What could possibly go wrong? Lots! Follow our 7 tips for correct watering.

Water is vital for plants, as it is for humans. You can go without it for a while, but not for long. That is why it is important to water plants regularly. Now you might think that I would just grab a watering can, turn on the tap and give the plants a good portion of the cool water. It's not quite that simple, unless you want to harm your beloved plants. Whether in the garden or on the windowsill, you can make a few mistakes when watering plants, which I hope will not happen again with the following tips.

Tip 1: Please no ice-cold shower!

Before watering, pay attention to the water temperature. Watering your plants with water that is too cold will only stress them out unnecessarily. In the worst case, this will inhibit growth.

Ideally, the temperature of the irrigation water should match the outside temperature. Rainwater that you have collected in the rain barrel meets this criterion and should be preferred to ice-cold tap or well water. You can use the latter if you collect it in a jar first and wait for it to heat up.

Tip 2: Don't water in the blazing midday sun!

The best time to water your plants is early morning between 3am and 5am. This allows the still cool floor to completely absorb the water. Watering during the hot midday sun would lead to a partial evaporation of the irrigation water. In addition, water droplets on foliage can act like a magnifying glass when exposed to the sun and cause burns.

Tip: You can also water your plants in the evening when the sun isn't shining as strongly. Please note, however, that the still warm soil will allow some of the irrigation water to evaporate.

Tip 3: Be careful with potted plants!

In contrast to bedding plants, those in pots need to be watered more often. This is due to the fact that they have less soil available to store water. But there is also a risk of waterlogging here if you do too muchto water. It is best to test how moist or dry the soil is before each watering.

Tip: The finger test gives no indication of how much water is still available to the root system. It is better to remove the entire plant from the pot and test the water content directly on the root ball.

Tip 4: It's better to water less but a lot!

Are you one of the people who water the plants every evening? You are doing your plants a disservice! Because if you only moisten the soil, the water evaporates very quickly and can penetrate deep into the soil. As a result, the plants develop their roots just below the surface of the earth and thus dry out more quickly if you forget to water them.

It is therefore better if you water your plants with plenty of water every second or third day. This will provide them with evasive water and they will root deeper underground.

Tip 5: If possible, do not water from above!

Watering your plants from above has several disadvantages. On the one hand, water droplets form, which can lead to burns in direct sunlight or can also promote fungal infestation. On the other hand, it is more difficult for the water to reach the roots through the foliage, through which the plant absorbs it. Therefore, always water directly at the root ball.

Tip 6: Favor a soft jet!

In addition to water temperature and water volume, the water jet also plays an enormous role. A shower would scatter the water too much and consequently lead to less water reaching the roots. A concentrated jet directly on the root ball promises more success. Make sure, however, that you only use a soft jet of water.

A too hard water jet would remove the soil around the plant and expose the delicate root ball. In addition, it can happen that your plants are injured by the hard water jet.

Tip 7: Loosen the soil after watering!

A loose soil can hold the water better and saves you the occasional watering. Therefore, grab a hoe after each watering and loosen the soil a little. By the way, you can also remove annoying weeds.