WATER is as vital to plants as it is to other organisms. The pressure of water within the plant cells helps the plant’s leaves to remain firm. Water also is essential for most of the plant’s biochemical reactions. In addition, water stores essential dissolved nutrients.

How often plants need water depends on how hot, dry, and windy the climate is; how well the plant tolerates dry conditions, and how deep the roots go into the soil. Plants can be watered at any time of day. However, to avoid plant diseases that thrive in cool, moist conditions, and to reduce water lost through evaporation, gardeners water in the early morning, when the air is cool and still, but the sun will soon dry the leaves.
The best method for watering plants is to apply the water directly to the soil, rather than over the tops of the plants. The water should be applied at a rate no faster than it can percolate into the soil so that the excess will not run off and be wasted. This technique reduces water lost through evaporation, and keeps leaves dry, which discourages diseases.
A few tools for watering the soil efficiently include hoses with tiny holes all along their surfaces, called soaker hoses; plastic tubes with tiny holes punched in them at intervals to accommodate drip irrigation; and plastic jugs with small holes punched in the bottom, filled with water and set beside a plant. Watering large, densely planted areas, such as a lawn, requires a sprinkler.
Evaporation of water from the soil can be minimized by covering the soil with a protective layer, known as mulch. Mulch acts as a barrier to slow evaporation by reducing the amount of air and heat reaching the soil surface. Materials that can be used as mulch include leaves, bark chips, grass clippings, and cardboard.

Fertilizing
Not all soils have enough nutrients, or the right balance of nutrients. Moreover, plants remove nutrients from the soil as they grow, so these nutrients must be replaced in order for the soil to remain productive. For these reasons, gardeners enhance soil by adding fertilizer, a material that contains one or more of the nutrients plants need.
Fertilizers are divided into two categories: synthetic and organic. Synthetic fertilizers are concentrated salts or minerals, some of which are produced as by-products of petroleum production. Organic fertilizers originate in plants, animals, or minerals, and include compost, seaweed, and crushed bone.
Fertilizers are usually sold in packages on which the percentage by weight of the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are listed on the label, always in the order N-P-K. For example, a fertilizer that is labelled 10-5-3 is 10 parts nitrogen, 5 parts phosphorus, and 3 parts potassium. (Courtesy of:  EVERGREEN NATURE STUDY CLUB www.evergreenstudy.org;Erin Hynes)

NOTE: EVERGREEN NATURE STUDY CLUB is a non-profit organization geared to educate and re-educate persons on environmental literacy, coupled with nature tours. Readers are reminded that we offer nature-based goods and services, including technical advice. Visit us at the following address: www.evergreenstudy.org