The Watering Routine Tweak To Make For Container Plants Before Summer Is Over

Whether you don't have a place to plant in the ground at your residence or just enjoy the convenience of growing plants in pots, growing a container garden sometimes requires special care techniques. Potted plants can be a bit temperamental, after all. Proper watering is one of the main challenges, as soil in containers does not hold as much moisture as soil in the ground. This is especially true for outdoor container plants in the hot weather of late summer. There's a simple tweak to fix the issue before summer is over: Manually water plants in containers more often, as the potting soil will naturally be drier, especially if it's left in the sun and wind.

In many parts of the United States, daily temperature highs reach the 80s and 90s by August. Depending on the region, rain can also be inconsistent in late summer, as thunderstorms are often sporadic and localized. If you've only been providing moisture to your container plants on certain days of the week, or depending on rainfall to do the job for you, this is a good time to increase your watering frequency. In fact, you may not want to stick to a strict watering schedule during this time of the year, when the soil dries out faster than you might expect. Instead, regularly test the potting soil for moisture and add plenty of water as needed to manage the late summer heat.

Soil in containers tends to dry out faster than soil in garden beds, since soil in the ground is better protected from the weather than soil in a pot, and potted soil has a much more limited amount of space in which to preserve moisture. This issue is compounded in late summer, when heat, sun, and wind combine to speed up soil drying. To measure dampness, press your finger into the dirt by a couple of inches. If it feels damp at your fingertip and soil particles are sticking to your finger when you remove it, the dirt is wet enough. Otherwise, you should probably add water.

To help container plants battle the late summer heat, water slowly and deeply. If the container has proper drainage, any unneeded water will drain away. Additionally, the time of day when you water your container plants matters. Checking the soil and watering in the morning gives the plant time to absorb the moisture it needs before the sun beats on it.

If you don't change up how often you water plants in pots during late summer, you may encounter a common problem with container gardening. If the potting soil is allowed to dry out too much, it can become hydrophobic, or repel water as you add it. You can recognize hydrophobic soil because it pulls away from the edges of the container. To rehydrate the potting soil, set the pot in a tray of fresh water. Then pour water into the top of the container very slowly. It may take a few days for rehydration to be complete.