Watering your garden may be the most important duty to master when tending to your plants. So study up!

In my talks with expert green thumbs, I’ve listened to many different strategies on how to best water your garden. And here’s some of those tips.

First, what you must watch out for:

• Don’t over water!
• Don’t under water!

Sounds simple? Think again. Many novices tend to over-water their garden because of the parental urges of wanting to take care of their plants. In fact, too much water will drown your plants, and some don’t like much water at all.

Here’s what you can do:

• Read up about your plants to know how much water they need.
• Get adept at checking the soil in your garden for moisture on a daily basic.

THE BEST METHOD: Stick your index finger into the soil where your plants are growing. Is it dry? Soaked?

To achieve maximum watering power, you should compare the soil’s dampness with that of a wet kitchen sponge that you’ve rung out. Know the feeling? When watering your garden, the soil should be just the same wetness.

Be diligent in checking the soil every time you water your garden. Because soil can dry out at different rates based on your climate, amount of sunshine and depending on how thirsty your plants are, it might not be a good idea to water them every day. Instead, play to your plants’ needs.

Wait until the soil is slightly drier than that of the rung out sponge, then water your garden. Be careful not to dump too much H2O on your green friends. You want to achieve a balance consistent with your kitchen buddy.

Happy watering!