What is the best time of day to water my garden?
—Hadassah in Waco, TX Do I water my lawn in the morning or evening? What’s the real deal??? —Jennifer from Joisey I’ve been told by several friends that I should only water my tomatoes at night. Another said I should only water during the daylight hours, when the sun is shining. Can you tell me the best time to water my tomatoesand why? Thanks a lot, —Dale in Meeker, OK A. Gee, Daleyour friends must not like you very much. At the very least, they sure dont want you to get very many tomatoes this year! The basic rules of watering are very simple: Never water ANYTHING in the evening or at the height of the day. Early morning is always best. Why has a lot to do with basic plant physiology. Dew forms as evening progresses to morning, and plants have developed the ability to let their cells open up to accept some of this water through their leaves. (This is the basic principle behind foliar feeding, when you spray something like compost tea directly on plants to feed them, which you s
