Yes, watering your garden at night can help your plants survive the heat, but only if you do it the right way. “Whether nighttime watering is beneficial or harmful depends largely on your climate, nighttime humidity, and how you irrigate,” explains expert Kate Schneider, owner of Savannah-based Ibis Coastal Landscapes.
“You’ve probably heard the old gardening rule: Never water at night,” she says. Yep, we have. “That advice exists because prolonged leaf wetness in cool, humid conditions can encourage fungal diseases, mold, and rot.” However, she says this isn’t a hard-and-fast gardening rule. Schneider sees many people watering in the afternoon. “Every time I see it, I cringe,” she tells us. “Unless a plant is severely dehydrated and in danger of shutting down its photosynthetic processes, watering during the hottest part of the day is generally unnecessary and inefficient.”
Her recommendation is to water deeply between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., applying enough water to moisten the soil at least 6 inches deep or, for containers, until water drains from the bottom of the pot…