"Going too far is just as bad as not going far enough..."

OVER OR UNDER IRRIGATION

In Puerto Rico, Christmas begins in November, and that month greeted us with quite a bit of rain. Seeing my little home garden suffer from the saturated soil due to so much rainfall reminded me of the importance of proper plant irrigation. It's true that when anyone starts gardening, common mistakes are always made when watering.

Since roots need moisture to feed the plant, they also need oxygen. And they can't get it if the soil remains oversaturated. (NOTE) Plants can grow directly in water (hydroponics). But for this, the water is constantly oxygenated so the roots are always exposed to water and nutrients, but also to a good amount of oxygen.

Therefore, if we are planting in soil, coconut coir, or a peat-based mix, we should water it and not water it again until the soil has dried out. When we say dry, we don't mean completely dry, but you shouldn't water if the soil in the pot is still damp. As a general rule, wait until the soil is at least an inch dry from the surface.

I also recommend that, if it's a small plant for the size of the pot, you don't completely saturate the soil during watering. This way, you can water again more frequently until the plant is absorbing the water, and then gradually increase the amount until the soil is completely saturated. But always remember not to water again until at least an inch of soil is dry from the surface.

Although this is the most common mistake, we also can't forget about plants and leave them to their fate without watering for too long, as they need moisture in the soil to absorb nutrients and survive. To determine if you need to water your plant, you can check by burying your finger about an inch in the soil, or by feeling the weight of the pot. You'll notice a significant change in the pot's weight when it's saturated versus when it's dry.

As always, I hope you found the information useful, and I'm very grateful that you're reading.

Enrique Dominguez

Head Grower

@earthgiftkike