"If you water your plants every day, you are actually giving them the worst possible treatment. In a side-by-side test, Which? found that plants which got a daily shower from the watering can were smaller and less healthy than those watered less frequently. Although peat-free composts tend to dry out faster than less eco-friendly peated soils, it's easy to overwater young plants and wash out the fertiliser in the compost."
"Even plants that were left to wilt before watering grew up faster and healthier in six weeks compared to those which got daily water. Adele Dyer, principal researcher for Which?, says: 'Always check your pots before you water. Overwatering will wash away the fertiliser, and plants will suffer. 'The cheapest way to become a master of watering your plants is to get used to feeling the compost and picking up your pots, provided they're small enough.'"
"Researchers from Which? tested tomatoes, pelargoniums, and petunias over a six-week period to find the best watering method. The young plants were either watered every day, watered when the gardeners thought they needed it, or when a colour-changing water indicator said they were dry. The watering indicators were either the SUStee Watering Indicator or the Westland Watering Indicator, which are both supposed to help gardeners judge when the soil needs water."
"As an extra factor, some of the plants were potted with either synthetic or natural water-retaining substances, which are meant to reduce how often a plant needs watering. Finally, Ms Dyer and the team compared watering from above with a watering can and soaking the plants from below in a tray or bowl of water. As the plants grew, they were then measured weekly to see how tall they had become and how healthy they appeared."
Daily watering can produce smaller, less healthy plants than watering less often. Peat-free compost dries faster, but young plants can still be overwatered, which can wash out fertiliser and reduce plant performance. Plants that were allowed to wilt slightly before watering grew faster and healthier over six weeks compared with plants given daily water. Pot checks help determine when watering is needed, and gardeners can learn by feeling compost and lifting pots to judge moisture. A six-week test compared watering schedules, water indicators, water-retaining substances, and watering methods from above versus soaking from below, while measuring plant height and health weekly.
Read at Mail Online
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