By Debbie Post, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
The best time to water is early morning, avoiding the mid-day issue of the sun baking the soil and losing most of your water to evaporation. Try to water directly to the root of your plants versus on the surface of the plant leaves, which leads to scorched leaves as well as rot or fungal infections. Drip systems or soaker hoses are recommended for deeper watering. This encourages stronger root growth – two to three inches per week is optimal.