Cindi: That's a great tip! I always water early in the morning, it's something I learned 44 years ago when I first moved to Florida and became interested in plants and gardening ... it especially makes sense here in the south with our intense heat.

GREAT tip! Since it hasn't rained here in central Texas, well, pretty much all summer, it is the only way to ensure the plants get any of the moisture!

Water rhymning tip!!

Learned that the hard way when I first started gardening, by burning plant leaves that cup and hold water.

Might add don't water on a windy day either!

In the heat of the day the water is wasted because it evaporates so quickly ... and yep, on a windy day too!

We've been lucky in my part of Florida the past two months and have finally gotten much needed rain, while some area's of the state are still having fires from lack of rain. I feel bad for folks in Texas and other area's of the country that are experiencing record breaking drought conditions.

Very good tip.
When they burn
We learn...

This morning we had a reservoir that was on fire...

Yep. Conserve that water for the plants!

Great tip. I water in the morning and sometimes in the evening. My semps seem to love the evening water.

It's best to deep water so the moisture reaches the thirsty roots. About once every 7-10 days I have a slow drip on the established plants I am concentrating on saving. Depending on the size of the tree/shrub or type (Canna, daylily, etc) the drip is from 1/2 hr to several hours.

Also, I keep an eye on my neighbor's watering habits. Some of my perimeter plants don't need my water at all. My neighbor's watering will sustain them. Their roots grow to seek the wetness on the other side of the fence. I do need to make sure they continue to water, however. I've been doing this for 4 years. It's a calculated risk and it works for the good of ALL water usage. It's just that my neighbor's are paying for it.

Susie, that's so true...you do have to take into account water from the neighbors. When I lived in the city, I had a neighbor who overwatered her over-fertilized lawn, so I had to take out some of my xeric landscaping and plant Louisiana iris!
The wind never stops here, so we use drip lines and soaker hoses for the most part. Problem is, since they are so quiet, I have to set a timer or i forget they are running. I try to water a different bed each day from 6 am to 10.
My tip was aimed more at conserving water and keeping gardeners out of the worst sun exposure--so if you miss watering some plants and notice severe wilting, by all means, water during the day! Don't make the plants wait until the next morning. Ideally, for established plants, you are watering once a week, slowly and deeply, early in the morning, and only if you have not had adequate rainfall.

Oh I know Cindi, about the evaporation. If you have a swimming pool you can readily see that you'll lose 1 - 2 inches of water a day due to evaporation. I water in the evening since I'm not an early riser

Thanks for the timely reminder about optimum times to water. Precious resource!

My tomatoes love a nice deep watering any time of the day since I use a soaker hose. I make sure the ground is thoroughly saturated before turning the water off. Once the tomatoes start ripening will water more sparingly.

I have been thinking more about wasted water lately since we went on restrictions recently. I found a couple ways I could save. I have a hot water heater that is so far away from the kitchen it takes forever to get the water hot to start the dishwasher. I have started running water into large coffee containers and setting aside until I get the water hot. Then I cooked corn on the cob today....just couldn't dump that water down the drain. So it along with the water in the coffee cans will get poured on my dry water thirsty garden this afternoon.
I thought about setting a 5 gallon bucket in the pantry to collect the water, but then I couldn't lift it!!

Hi Sheila,
Glad to hear you being creative and saving. You'll be amazed at how much you can conserve and reuse.

I've been practicing water conservation for ages. I lived in Sacramento in the '70s when we had a 6 year drought. Bricks in the toilet tank/reservoir, flush only when necessary, no lawn watering running into the street (one could be fined).

I have a self imposed policy here in Phoenix that I must use all faucet/tap water at least twice (unless I'm drinking it). I even save the ice cubes that get stuck in the ice maker. Water to boil artichokes, corn (as you point out) is saved and used to water outdoor plants. I have a watering can in the shower to catch the cold water that runs before the hot. (though in PHX we don't have cold water in summer.) I use second or third round water to rinse dirty dishes prior to putting them in the dishwasher. When water bowl for dog is refreshed daily I use the unused to water plants.

Thanks for joining the crusade!

Wow you are a trooper for the cause Susie....wtg!

Those are some great tips Susie! I've actually put aside some empty milk containers that I'm going to start collecting the shower run-off (of course, we haven't had 'cold' water of late either!

Thinking further... you can use the water collection from the shower to fill the doggie's bowl or boil water for coffee/tea/ My mother was VERY bad about water conservation. She'd leave the hose running in the backyard on the grass or whatever to go inside and answer the phone. I was 11 or so. Drove me to major distraction... I'm trying to be nice. Even at eleven yrs old it seemed like a sickness with her. Oh! I forgot to say!!!!! I'm Aquarius.... THE WATER BEARER.

Susie I understand completely! I was the 7 year old following my sister and parents around, turning off lights or water when no one was there. I still have to do that with DH and the DSKs..