To combat plant thirst – How to water your garden correctly in summer

High summer is here, and the garden is in full bloom, growing and thriving. To ensure it stays that way, watering is a key gardening topic in July, alongside pruning. Prolonged dry spells weaken plants, so regular watering is now essential. Even with such a simple task, there are a few things to keep in mind. Small mistakes when watering can cause significant damage.

According to the German Federal Association of Retail Gardeners (BVE), the best time to water plants is between three and four o'clock in the morning . The water can slowly penetrate the cool soil and thus reach the roots.

Don't worry, you don't have to shorten your night's sleep because of this: If you don't want to buy an automatic irrigation system to comply with the inconvenient watering times, you can also water a few hours later.

A tip from the Bavarian Garden Academy: After watering, loosen the soil. This breaks up air pockets and directs the water deeper to the roots. Mulching also helps the soil absorb more water and retain it longer.

As a general rule: Water less frequently (twice a week) but thoroughly. If you spoil your plants by watering them too often, you'll only create unnecessary work for yourself. It's more advisable and wiser to train oleanders, roses, and similar plants to be undemanding drinkers.

This also makes the plants more robust and extends their flowering period, because in order to get the necessary moisture from the soil they need to form many and long roots.

The best way to care for your lawn is exactly the same: During dry periods, you should thoroughly moisten the area down to the roots once or twice a week.