Getting the Timing Right
Watering your vegetable garden consistently is essential to keeping plants healthy and productive. Plants do best when watered about three times a week, factoring in the rain.1 If the plants are seedlings, water them twice a day until established.1
Why Rainfall Counts
When calculating how much water your vegetable garden needs, factor in the rain.1 Natural precipitation can reduce or replace scheduled watering sessions, so observing recent weather conditions before reaching for the hose is a sound practice.1
Seedlings Need Special Attention
Young seedlings have shallower root systems and are far more vulnerable to drying out than established plants. Watering them twice a day until they are established helps ensure they develop the root structure needed to thrive in the garden.1
The Role of Water in Plant Health
Water is an inorganic compound essential to life.2 It is the main constituent of living organisms and plays a fundamental role in all biological processes, including those that govern how vegetables grow, flower, and produce fruit.2
What to Watch
As the growing season progresses, factor in rainfall when deciding how often to water.1 Adjusting your watering schedule around rainfall — as recommended for vegetable gardens — remains the most reliable way to avoid both underwatering and overwatering.1
See more: More seasonal