Best time to water plants in summer is 2-hour window that stops 'irreversible damage'

Gardeners might not realise it, but there's an optimal time to water plants, especially when temperatures are sizzling. Timing is crucial so plants can drink up the water before it evaporates into the warm air.

Choosing the right time to water your garden can also stave off plant diseases and reduce stress on your plants. The green-fingered experts at Blooming Expert suggest that morning is not the ideal time to water the garden. Instead, the late afternoon or early evening (between 4pm and 6pm, while there's still light and warmth) is the "best time" to quench your garden plants' thirst.

The experts say hydrating plants in the early evening is "better than letting them suffer irreversible damage until the next morning".

In sweltering conditions, soil can dry out rapidly, and plants may desperately need moisture to pull through.

The aim is to allow some surface moisture to evaporate overnight due to residual heat, as the plant's immediate need for water outweighs the usual risks.

For those who tend to their plants in the late evening, it's crucial to water more directly at the root zone rather than the leaves, as damp leaves can lead to disease.

On the Gardening Hints and Tips Facebook page, green-fingered enthusiasts shared their views on the optimal time to water plants, with most favouring the evening.

Shannon R-Lease stated, "I do evenings. When the sun sets over the house. Between five and 5:30pm."

Margaret Collinsworth posted: "I like to water in the evenings. It gives the plants overnight to drink."

Shane Paul remarked: "I do my plants in the evening, but lawn sprinklers are set to go off at 6am for 30 minutes. Shouldn't leave a lawn damp overnight on purpose (obvs can't help if it rained), can lead to more disease growth, and middle of the day, it just evaporates and can't soak into the ground."

Jack Pockl contributed: "Water in the evening - the plant and soil retain more moisture. Watering in the morning or afternoon allows the water to evaporate, so less water is held in the soil for the roots."

The amount of water a plant requires will depend on various factors such as its location, type, the soil, and other conditions.

For example, most plants will receive adequate water from spring rains and only require additional watering during dry spells.

However, they may need substantial watering in the summer, depending on the temperatures.