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There is nothing wrong with loving and caring for our plants. But do we love them too much and end up over caring for them? Gardeners are always looking for good, accurate advice. But the problem is: There is a lot of bad infor- mation out there, especially on the internet. Overwatering is the most common way of over caring for our plants. We love to water, and water and water. Too much water in the soil blocks oxygen from getting to the roots and also creates an environment for harmful fungi to grow. Common symptoms of over watering are yellow leaves and plant droop. So, what can we do to make sure we aren't over watering? When we water, water enters the soil and fills the open pores. But, where does it go from there? It can do three things: drain out, be taken up by the plant or evaporate. Drainage speed So first, know how your soil drains. Do a drainage test if needed. Fill a 1-foot- by-1-foot hole with water and let it drain completely. This saturates the soil. After the water drains, refill the hole. Measure the depth of the water with a ruler and after 15 minutes, meas- ure the drop in water in inches. Multiply that by 4 to calculate how much water drains in an hour. Soils that drain 1 to 3 inches an hour are desirable for most plants. Below 1 inch means poor drainage and more than 4 inches is fast drain- ing. Amend your soil to reach the desired results. Plant types, those that like more or less water, can play a small role, but generally speaking they all basically need the same care. Timing When to water existing plants? That's simple, when the soil needs more water. But how can one tell? Use the simple finger technique. Push your finger into the soil as far as you can and if it comes up moist, don't water. I know some people water on a particular schedule (once a day, week, etc.), but that's not the best idea. That might work if the weather was on a schedule, but it's not. We need to adapt to the weather and not the other way around. Rain, humidity, temperature and wind are all factors we need to watch, but these are out of our control. So the best thing one can do is let the soil itself be the deter- mining factor. Watering should also be done in the early morning. This allows the water to soak in properly, but allows the area to dry some before cool nights. This helps tremendously with disease control. Plants actually do better on the drier side then the wetter side for many reasons. How to water What is the best way to water existing plants? Water at a slow and steady pace, this allows for the best water absorption. Too fast and all we get is runoff. Use a soaker hose or simply set your hose around individ- ual plants at a trickle. You can time how long it takes to fill 1 gallon to judge water output. One gallon a minute puts down 60 gal- lons in an hour, etc. Just as a guide, trees take on aver- age 50 or 60 gallons, shrubs 30 or 40, and perennials/annuals 3 to 4 each watering. Watering anything newly planted requires a different strategy. Trees and shrubs should be well watered for the first two years so that they develop a good root system. But only water when the soil starts to dry out. New perennials and annuals should be watered every few days for the first week or two. After a few weeks, reduce watering fre- quency and only water when needed. Containers can be treated the same way, just remem- ber they dry out faster. It all depends on the soil mix that you use. But again, let the soil tell you when to water. You can go by weight. If it feels light, water. If it feels heavy, don't. Also, try to avoid getting the foliage wet. As you can see, too much water can be detrimental. My best advice is to get on a regular schedule of check- ing the soil around your plants and let it dictate when you water, and then water responsibly. Happy gardening! (Michael Timm is chief horticulturalist for Ebert's Greenhouse Village.) MARCH 2023 HOME 7 MICHAEL TIMM Loving our plants to death, literally! Too much of a good thing applies to watering, too Part 1 – Overwatering Photos by Michael Timm The more we know about our soil's drainage, time of day and method to watering our plants, the better off they will be. We don't have to be fatally attracted to our plants — and watering can or hose.

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