Do I Have to Water My Garden Every Day? How Much Is Too Much?

Everyone's worried about how often to water their plants now that it's the height of summer. I wish I had an easy answer for you, but the truth is, how often you should water your plants depends on several different factors unique to your garden. To complicate things a bit more, the "right" answer varies from season to season, even day to day!

Let's look at the different factors that will determine how often you should water your garden, how to adjust your watering schedule accordingly, plus how to tell if you're watering too often or not enough.

You'll Need to Water More Often if Your Evaporation Rate Is High

Evaporation rates vary due to factors like temperature, humidity, and even wind affect the rate. If you live in a humid climate, you might not need to water as often as those with dry desert air. In particularly hot, dry climates, gardeners may find that their soil dries up just hours after they've watered.

When it comes to your evaporation rate, the question isn’t how much water your garden receives, but how much it can retain. You can get a better sense of your evaporation rate by using a hygrometer or just your finger to check the moisture level of your soil 12 hours and then 24 hours after watering.

If your soil is dry 12 hours after watering, you may need to water your garden twice a day. If it’s drying out within 24 hours, you’ll need to water every day while conditions stay the same. If it’s still moist after 24 hours, you can wait a day or two to water again.

The lower your evaporation rate is overall, the less often you have to water. You'll likely find that your evaporation rate changes with the seasons, which is why it's important to adjust your watering schedule throughout the year. What worked in April probably won't work in August.

You Should Water More if You Recently Planted Seeds or Seedlings

The most critical time to keep your garden well-watered is right after you've sown seeds or transplanted seedlings. If your garden dries out after you've planted some seeds, those seeds may never sprout. Seedlings need consistent water to help them recover from the stress of the move. Older, more established plants can typically go longer between waterings than younger plants.

I aim to water every day or every other day for the first 2 weeks after I've planted something new in my garden.

Give Thirsty Plants Water More Often Than Drought-Tolerant Plants

Leafy greens are particularly thirsty plants. Lettuce plants, for example, have shallow root systems, so they can't reach very far for water when they're thirsty. That's why you'll need to water your garden more often if you're growing lettuce than you would if your garden is filled with more drought-tolerant plants, like perennial herbs and eggplant.

Where something is planted in a raised bed or container can even make a difference in how often it'll need to be watered. Plan your garden so that you have more drought-tolerant plants on the outside of the growing space, where the soil will dry out faster. Plants that like more consistent moisture should go closer to the center.

Water Way More if You're Growing a Plant Outside Its Preferred Temperature Range

If you ever feel like you have to water and water something just to keep it alive, you're likely trying to grow that plant when it's too hot for it. I learned this the hard way my first summer gardening in Houston, when I was trying to grow tomatoes in August. Tomatoes like warm weather but become stressed when temps reach the 90s. Even though I was watering my tomatoes twice a day, they were still struggling and produced very little fruit. My tomatoes did much better when I switched to growing them in the spring and fall, when Houston's temps are a bit lower and there's more rain.

Instead of trying to water, water, water if your plants are struggling, consider switching your garden over to things that are better suited for long, hot summers.

You'll Need to Water More Often if Your Garden Has Lots of Exposed Soil

It may sound a little counterintuitive, but the more plants you have in your garden, the less you need to water. That's because bare soil dries out much faster than soil that's shaded by plants. So my goal is to not have bare soil about 6 weeks after I've planted for a new growing season.

Planting your garden beds intensively is actually a great way to conserve water, especially during drier, hotter months.

Water Containers More Regularly Than In-Ground Gardens or Raised Beds

The soil in a container or pot will dry out faster than the soil in a much larger raised bed or in the ground. That's especially true if your pot is made of terracotta.

You Won't Need to Water as Often if You're Getting Rain

Use a rain gauge to measure how much rain has fallen each week. If you have automatic irrigation hooked up, consider adding a rain sensor. That way, you won't water your garden when it's already saturated. You can also look ahead for rain. If your plants are well established in your garden and you know that rain is in the forecast in the next day or two, then you can probably go ahead and skip watering today.

Most plants need about 1 inch of water per week. So if you haven't received an inch of rain, then you'll need to give your plants a drink. Even if you have received rain, it's still a good idea to check the moisture level in your soil to see if your garden needs additional water. A quick sprinkle might only reach the top layer of your soil. If that's the case, your plants have only been given a little sip and are probably still thirsty.

How Do You Know if You Need to Water More or Less?

Use your plants and the soil as your guide to know when you need to change your watering routine.

If the garden's surface is dry or cracked (or if the soil is pulling away from the edge of a pot or container), then you need to water more. When I say "more", I mean more frequently. (FYI: You really want to avoid your soil getting like this because it loses nutrients faster when it's dry.) Wilting leaves or brown spots are also signs that your plants are dehydrated. If you've got your watering automated, then adjust the timer so that it's more consistent.

You'll know you're watering way too often if you notice the leaves of your plants are turning yellow, mildewing, or rotting. Let the top inch or two of your soil dry out before you come back and water again.

When in Doubt, Check the Soil with Your Finger

The best way to figure out how often you should water is to check your garden frequently. Stay flexible and adjust your schedule when your garden is showing signs of being over- or under-watered. Only water when your garden actually needs it. (Overwatering, by the way, doesn't mean giving your garden too much water at once. It's watering too often.)

I hope this helps you set a watering routine that works for you and your garden!