Quick Tip: Water Your Plants Deeply

By Jennifer Poindexter

Whether you’re new to gardening or more experienced, we all know that plants need water. Without it, the plants will shrivel.

However, are you aware that there’s different ways to apply water? There’s a shallow watering method and a deep watering method.

I prefer the deep watering method. Here’s why:

When watering my plants, I go with the deep watering method. There are a few reasons for this, but first let’s discuss what it means to water plants deeply.

When watering your plants deeply, you’ll apply water to your plants for a longer period of time. If it’s in a container, water should be running from the bottom.

If your plants are in the ground, you should water until the soil is thoroughly saturated. It’s easy to tell when plants need more water this way as well.

Insert your finger into the soil. If the soil is dry to your first knuckle, water the plants deeply again. If not, wait a day or two before testing the soil again.

As far as why I choose this method, it’s because it’s less work. In most cases, when watering your plants deeply, you can water them less throughout the week.

If you grow plants in containers or raised beds, they may need watering more frequently as there’s less soil to retain the moisture.

The next reason I prefer watering plants deeply is because it helps the root system. If you only water the surface of the soil, your plants are going to stretch their roots horizontally to retrieve the water.

If you water the plants deeply, they’ll spread their roots vertically which equates to a deeper (and oftentimes, stronger) root system.

Lastly, watering plants deeply should help your plants maintain better health. Plants with stronger root systems tend to be healthier all over.

Not only does this way of watering reduce the amount of labor I put forth for my plants, but it also encourages healthier plants.

For me this is a definite win as a gardener and a tip which must be shared with others. Enjoy more free time and healthier plants by watering them deeply.