If your plant receives diminishing light, you want to reduce the volume of water, and the plant is placed in an environment that receives increasing light, you’re going to want to increase the volume of water. [2] X Expert Source Lindsey SwettPlant Specialist Expert Interview. 1 March 2022. If you’re in a dry location (like the desert Southwest), provide more water to fruit and vegetable bearing plants than you would native plants. In addition, give more water to ferns and non-native flowering plants. If you’re in a tropical environment, you may not need to provide any extra water to fruit and vegetable bearing plants. If you’re in a temperate environment, research the specific plant (especially if it is fruit or vegetable bearing) to verify it gets enough water.
Drip irrigation is especially useful for fruit and vegetable bearing plants in arid environments. Tomatoes, strawberries, and peppers will benefit immensely from drip irrigation.
Some meters have a 1 to 10 scale on them. The numbers 1 to 3 indicate dry, 4 to 7 indicate moist, and 8 to 10 indicate wet. Many plants tend to do well in the 4 to 5 range. Tomatoes do great in the 5 to 6 range. Once you’ve determined the optimum moisture range for your plant, use the meter to stay within it. [7] X Research source
If the pot has standing water, try putting it on top of a layer of stones. This will help it drain more efficiently.
Root rot is especially common in soils with pour drainage, such as soil that contains clay. Watch carefully for root rot if you’re growing vegetables like lettuce, beans, beets, carrots, or onions.
If the water drains in less than 4 minutes, most trees and plants should do okay there. If the soil drains in 5 to 15 minutes, most trees and plants will thrive. If the soil drains in 16 to 60 minutes, plants that need well-drained soil will need a lot less water than in other soil. If the soil takes hours to drain, only plants that grow in swamps or along bodies of water will live. [14] X Research source
While it is more likely a sign of underwatering, wilting can also be a sign of overwatering. To properly determine whether wilting indicates underwatering or overwatering, consider other factors such as soil moisture. Usually, if the soil is dry and the plant is wilting, it needs more water. Wilting leaves are an important indication that fruit and vegetable bearing plants may produce low yields or experience other problems.
This is especially important for tomatoes, strawberries, and other fruits that depend on a lot of water.
Calculate the average temperature of your area by adding the daytime high and the nighttime low. Then, divide this by 2. For example, if the low is 60 and the high is 80, you’ll compute the average temperature as 70 degrees. If you’re in a temperate climate, you’d want to provide 1. 5 inches (3. 8 cm) of water per week. [18] X Research source
If the amount of water the area around your plant gets is less than the recommended amount for the plant and climate, provide more water by installing sprinklers or making your own drip irrigator. [19] X Research source
