Having a well-kept garden is not achieved without a minimum of dedication. Those who enjoy a green space inside their house will know that in addition to fertilizing, pruning, cleaning and many other tasks, the most important thing is to carry out an adequate irrigation for the needs of the plant: in no case should it be a random action. For example, depending on what time they are watered, we will make the plants make better or worse use of that water supply.

Thus, the ideal time to water outdoor plants varies depending on the time of year. The fundamental premise is to know that the hotter it is, the faster the water will evaporate. For this reason, in the summer months, if a plant is watered when the sun is hotter, the substrate will not take too long to dry again, especially if we have it placed in a pot that has been exposed to the sun's rays. Also, the leaves could burn if they are wet, as the water would act like a magnifying glass on them.

Therefore, it is convenient during the warm months to water the plants first thing in the morning. At dawn, evaporation is minimal, so the plants or grass would not need as much water input. As a second option, given the impossibility of doing it early, watering can also be postponed until late at night, when the sun is setting and has lost the intensity of the central hours of the day.

The story changes in winter, when the cold arrives and there is a marked decrease in temperatures with respect to the summer period, because depending on which cases, the water can freeze and crystallize the roots of the plants. For this reason, at this time it is appropriate to water during the day, although it is advisable to avoid direct sunlight on the plant during watering.

Ultimately, the weather is the decisive factor that will determine the right time to water our plants.

DESIGN YOUR GARDEN TO BE MORE EFFICIENT

Now that you know about ideal watering times, which helps you use water in a more rational way, here are some useful tips for making your garden more efficient:

• Group plants according to their water needs so you can use a more efficient irrigation system.

• Get to know the microclimate of your garden and select the plants that suit it.

• Choose native plants that only need a little watering in the warm months.

• Try to protect your garden from the wind. Use windbreaks to avoid losing the water you use for watering.

• If you do have grass, try to cut it to a height of about 5 cm, to keep enough moisture around the roots.

• Use less fertilizer, to reduce the need for water.

• Design the garden with as little lawn grass as possible, as lawns need a lot of watering. Artificial turf could be a good alternative.

• Put fertilizer on the lawn when rain is forecast so that the fertilizer dissolves with the rainwater and you don’t need water the lawn to dissolve it.

• Uses automatic drip irrigation systems to water trees and shrubs.

• Use the right amount of water for each type of plant and avoid runoff.

• Irrigate plants close to their roots.

• For spraying, correctly the position of the sprinklers, their flow rate, and the area they cover.