Gardening Basics
Watering
One of the major killers of plants is too much or too little water. Water plants frequently in warm weather especially if they are under cover in a conservatory or greenhouse. But don't let them sit in saucers of water, with the obvious exceptions of aquatic or bog plants.
Plants growing close to or next to a wall, will typically be in a 'rain shadow' so the roots will get little or no water. Water them well, particularly in warm weather and apply a thick mulch to retain the moisture.
To make sure that you are watering pots and planters with sufficient amounts of water, scrape away the top inch of compost and check that it is moist.
Watering just the top layer of soil will encourage plants to grow a shallow root system, which isn't too much of a problem with bedding plants, but it is obviously more important that you give a good drenching to trees and shrubs.
The best time to water plants is in the evening, so the sun doesn't scorch wet leaves. Although there is a school of thought that plants may suffer if there root are cold and wet overnight. But I've never noticed much difference. Having said this if a plant is wilting or obviously dry then water immediately, plunging any pots into a bucket of water for 10-15 minutes if possible.
When watering seedlings use mains water rather than water from a butt, as this can introduce infection.
