Put down the hose and back away! 3 simple tips to not overwater plants in the summer heat

May, the most popular month of the year for gardening, has come to an end. For people who consider themselves to be born without a green thumb, challenges lie ahead. Buying plants, digging holes and getting your hands dirty is the easy part. This week, I want to give you some watering tips to keep your plants thriving in the heat of the summer.

The most frequent reason that plants don't perform well, and some ultimately fail, is because they are watered too often. Gardeners don't want to watch their plants and financial investments fail, which inspires many people to do all they can to help the plants. However, these plants are harmed by the best of intentions.

How do you know you are watering too much?

Plants cannot talk, but they're great at sending signals. You just need to know how to read them. Yellow leaves are a sign of too much water. They turn yellow because needed nutrients are being flushed out of the soil with the excess water. The other signal is when a plant is wilting but it does not improve even though the soil is wet. Unfortunately, when a plant gets to this stage ... recovery is a long shot.

The most frequent question asked when someone purchases a plant is “How often should it be watered?” This is a reasonable question that you would think should initiate a simple answer. In reality, there really isn’t a definitive answer when it comes to plant watering advice.

This is because there are many variables that contribute to how a plant does or does not retain moisture including the type of soil and the weather. Low humidity and wind will cause plants to dry out quickly. The plant’s location is also a factor. If it is getting more sunlight than it should, the plant will need more water. The opposite will be true if it is not getting enough sun.

2 ways to know when a plant needs water

First, let the soil tell you and feel the soil with your fingers. If your plants are mulched, make sure you are feeling the soil below the mulch. If your plants are in pots, you can tell by the weight of the pot. Moist soil is significantly heavier than dry soil.

The second way, which I think is the best, is to let the plants tell you when they are thirsty. Plants cannot talk, but yes, they can tell you when they are thirsty. Let your plants start to wilt. When plants are dry, they will start to wilt at the top and tips of the branches. When a plant starts to wilt, it can be hours before it sustains permanent damage.

This dry wilting is much different than the wilt of a plant when it has been overwatered. When a plant has been overwatered, the entire plant will be in a state of wilt from top to bottom. When a plant is dry, the wilting will start at the tips. When you see these signs, it’s time to water. The wilting will stop within an hour but if the wilting never stops, the overwatered plant will never recover.

There are very, very few plants that need to be watered every day. When plants are overwatered, it happens with the best of intentions.

If you use these methods and listen to your plant’s signals, you will be able to develop a schedule. You will see a pattern and be able to set schedules for watering your different types of plants. This method can work for annual flowers, newly planted trees and shrubs. The only exception would be needled evergreens because they don't wilt. You need to check the soil with these plants.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 3 tips to not overwater your plants in the Midwest summer heat