When is the best time to water your garden?

Mandy Onderwater

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When I get around to it in Winter. Late afternoon/evenings in the hot months.
Interesting! I tend to water at the evening more than anything as the water doesn't evaporate as quickly. My plants are all potted, so that might actually affect when to water as well!
 

HelenCate

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Interesting! I tend to water at the evening more than anything as the water doesn't evaporate as quickly. My plants are all potted, so that might actually affect when to water as well!
I guess late afternoon is more for the plants that are already shaded by that time of the day. Especially if it's been a roasting hot day and lots of beds need a drink.
 

Jason890

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I like mornings
I’m up pretty early every day and for me it’s good to go down to the patch and water early
I take my coffee the birds are chirping it’s quiet
It’s calming walking around watering everything
This might change soon as I have had a fair bit of time off due to a elbow op
Back at work soon so I might have to mix it up some in the morning and some in the evening
 

Mandy Onderwater

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I like mornings
I’m up pretty early every day and for me it’s good to go down to the patch and water early
I take my coffee the birds are chirping it’s quiet
It’s calming walking around watering everything
This might change soon as I have had a fair bit of time off due to a elbow op
Back at work soon so I might have to mix it up some in the morning and some in the evening
Ahh I bet. Waking up like that sounds lovely!
I struggle with sleep and have to take medication to even be able to fall asleep, resulting in me waking up a little later in the morning. It's also horrendously warm here and if I were to water at those times I would probably get sunburnt.
 

DragonLady

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Maybe not the best time of the day for my plants but I water at around 830 900 in the morning after I drop the kids off and just before I start getting ready for work. I feel that it relaxes me for the day because that time of the day I'm normally stressing out in anticipation for work.
 

Mandy Onderwater

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Maybe not the best time of the day for my plants but I water at around 830 900 in the morning after I drop the kids off and just before I start getting ready for work. I feel that it relaxes me for the day because that time of the day I'm normally stressing out in anticipation for work.
Ahh yes! And watering the garden is such a peaceful process usually as well :D
 

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In spring it's got to be in the morning because if I water too late the slugs go nuts.

In summer, more in the morning and a little in the evening.

In autumn..... it happens when it happens.

In winter I just don't water because we get crazy rain.
 

Mandy Onderwater

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In spring it's got to be in the morning because if I water too late the slugs go nuts.

In summer, more in the morning and a little in the evening.

In autumn..... it happens when it happens.

In winter I just don't water because we get crazy rain.
Interesting!
I don't recall ever seeing slugs around my property.... does this part of Australia even have slugs..? Gosh!

I hear people usually water very little during winter as many plants tend to slow down and/or can freeze. I haven't had that issue here as it doesn't get below 0, but it's very interesting to think about!
 

Gardenfuher

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does this part of Australia even have slugs...?

I hear people usually water very little during winter as many plants tend to slow down and/or can freeze.


Slugs are my number one problem In the garden. I'm fact I can't hint of any other bug that's actually caused me to lose plants. Slugs have turned me into a Disney villain when it comes to getting rid of them.

I get really cold winters (for australia). There's usually 1 or 2 days of snow mid winter and gets down to -3ish regularly. Most things that over winter (cabbage, spinach, chard etc) survives fine but doesn't really grow enough to harvest unless it's in a cold frame/greenhouse. I have really wet winters which actually help prevent hard freezes. I don't remember the science behind it though.
 

DragonLady

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We get slugs down here in north brissy but they don't attack the plants. I've just recently noticed holes in my pineapple sage and sunflower leaves from baby grasshoppers though :( just got over the cabbage moth eating my cabbages and now the grasshoppers attack lol!!!
 

Mandy Onderwater

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Slugs are my number one problem In the garden. I'm fact I can't hint of any other bug that's actually caused me to lose plants. Slugs have turned me into a Disney villain when it comes to getting rid of them.

I get really cold winters (for australia). There's usually 1 or 2 days of snow mid winter and gets down to -3ish regularly. Most things that over winter (cabbage, spinach, chard etc) survives fine but doesn't really grow enough to harvest unless it's in a cold frame/greenhouse. I have really wet winters which actually help prevent hard freezes. I don't remember the science behind it though.
Haha, I can only imagine any and all of the Disney villains fighting slugs. Very amusing to say the least :p

Interesting! The rain might prevent the 'deep' freezing, I'd guess.
 

Grandmother Goose

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Gardening in a desert here, which makes watering times a bit different.

Watering in the very late afternoon/early evening as the sun is going down during summer is necessary here because any earlier in the day and the water evaporates way too fast for the plants to absorb it. Watering as the sun is going down reduces evaporation and gives the plants all night to suck up all the water they're going to need to survive the next day. When it's going to be an extremely hot day (~43C/110F), an extra watering at dawn can sometimes be needed for plants that can't cope with several hours of being completely dried out.

In winter it's the opposite though. Winters in deserts are horribly cold, and if we water in the evening it increases the frost damage done. So late morning after the frost has melted is the time for watering in winter.
 

HelenCate

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if we water in the evening it increases the frost damage done. So late morning after the frost has melted is the time for watering in winter.
Interesting, it has the opposite effect here. If I water something the night before a frost or wet an area of sugarcane mulch, it's noticeably un-frosted in the morning.
 

JP 1983

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We get slugs down here in north brissy but they don't attack the plants. I've just recently noticed holes in my pineapple sage and sunflower leaves from baby grasshoppers though :( just got over the cabbage moth eating my cabbages and now the grasshoppers attack lol!!!
Some say that slugs are a certain sign of a duck deficiency.
 

DragonLady

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Some say that slugs are a certain sign of a duck deficiency.
lol! I would love ducks or chickens but we have way too many animals getting around our joint. We also have way too many eastern browns and carpet pythons getting around for my liking and I don't fancy owning more attractants lol
 

Mandy Onderwater

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Gardening in a desert here, which makes watering times a bit different.

Watering in the very late afternoon/early evening as the sun is going down during summer is necessary here because any earlier in the day and the water evaporates way too fast for the plants to absorb it. Watering as the sun is going down reduces evaporation and gives the plants all night to suck up all the water they're going to need to survive the next day. When it's going to be an extremely hot day (~43C/110F), an extra watering at dawn can sometimes be needed for plants that can't cope with several hours of being completely dried out.

In winter it's the opposite though. Winters in deserts are horribly cold, and if we water in the evening it increases the frost damage done. So late morning after the frost has melted is the time for watering in winter.
Yes, very interesting! I've noticed some of my pots dry out as well if I water in the morning. And to top that I'm living sub-tropical! I'm really hoping for some rain soon..
 

Rob A

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Slugs! Dreadful things, I have a constant battle but don’t use the chemical stuff. So the cycle is, hens lay eggs, I eat the eggs, shells go in the oven, shells crushed and put around the young plants, slugs hate them. Not foolproof but it helps.
 

Mandy Onderwater

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Slugs! Dreadful things, I have a constant battle but don’t use the chemical stuff. So the cycle is, hens lay eggs, I eat the eggs, shells go in the oven, shells crushed and put around the young plants, slugs hate them. Not foolproof but it helps.
I've heard of that as well! People recommend putting eggshells all over the soil. Supposedly snails hate going over the sharp shells.

I have heard of people making a vaseline/salt barrier on the outside of pots when growing too. I haven't heard how that went though.
 
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