Why you can’t water in the sun and what gardeners say about it

Experts in the field of growing plants and simply experienced gardeners agree that watering plants in the sun at maximum air temperature is a serious mistake. Such actions will cause more harm than moisture, and not only the shoots, but also the root system will suffer.

Harm to escapes

After watering, a large number of drops remain on the leaves and stem, which begin to dry out quickly under the scorching sun. Firstly, they carry away some of the energy with the steam - this cools the leaves, but can also overcool heat-loving, capricious plantings.

Secondly, where the water has dried, a deposit of hardness salts forms, which inevitably exist even in water that has settled for a day. This, unsightly, interferes with breathing and replenishment of light in the evening and in the morning, and worst of all, it becomes a cozy home for bacteria and fungi.

Thirdly, the drops act like a magnifying glass, and the leaves begin to burn in places where moisture is located.

If watering occurs in a closed greenhouse or greenhouse, such consequences are not observed, since the air has high humidity and the drops evaporate gradually.

Damage to the root system

The root system, which actively absorbs moisture, also burns out and dries out faster if watered in the heat. This is especially noticeable on plants whose roots are located close to the soil surface.

Inexperienced gardeners believe that it is during the peak of the heat that plants need additional moisture.But if moistening is carried out in the required volume at a low air temperature, this is enough for nutrition and normal development of the root system and shoots. Water goes deep into the soil, cools and nourishes the plantings.

How watering in the hot sun harms roots:

1. "Crust". After watering at high air temperatures, a layer is formed on the surface of the soil that poorly allows the oxygen needed to nourish the plant to pass through.
2. The desire of roots to grow on the soil surface. If watering occurs in the scorching sun, the moisture quickly evaporates and the roots begin to grow upward, trying to “grab” the remaining moisture. As a result, they may be damaged during loosening. They also do not seek to obtain moisture from the soil and depend on frequent watering. If there is not enough moisture in the top layer, the roots begin to dry out.

Advice
It is recommended to loosen the watered soil - this will protect both from crusting and from clumping, oxygen will pass more easily to the roots. The only thing is that you need to be careful not to damage the underground part of the plants.

Recommendations for watering

To protect plants from drying out, gardeners recommend:

1. Use a watering can and water the plants at the roots. It is important to check whether the soil is sufficiently saturated with water.
2. Drip irrigation is considered a good method. This will not only increase the area of ​​moisture distribution, but also reduce the amount of water consumed.
3. It is not recommended to wet plants with cold water. To do this, it is prepared in a special container the day before watering, so that it has time to warm up in the sun.
4. You can water the plants in the summer, on a sunny day before 8-9 o'clock in the morning and after 4-6 o'clock in the evening (depending on the air and soil temperature).

An effective way to prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil is mulching. The use of this method allows for less loosening of the soil, since the top layer always remains loose. Mulch also reduces weed growth and prevents soil from washing away, eroding, and crusting. Mulch can be organic (hay, straw, bark, sawdust) or inorganic (cut rubber, gravel or sand).

Proper moisture, regardless of other factors, will ensure germination and normal development of plantings. In addition to the time of day, of course, you need to take into account the frequency and volume of watering. Be attentive to the recommendations that are given on the package of seeds or included with the seedlings so as not to overwhelm or make you thirsty for planting, and lush flowering or a rich harvest will not keep you waiting.