Water is the lifeblood of a garden - but should you hand-water, install an irrigation system or plug in a sprinkler? Let’s consider the best ways to keep our plants happy and hydrated.
Without water, plants would not survive. It makes up the majority of their cells and carries essential nutrients around the plant. Water is both used and produced during photosynthesis, a chemical process occurring in the plant’s cells to convert energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air into oxygen and energy the plant uses to grow.
Water also helps plants regulate their temperature by being transpired, or evaporated, from tiny pores in their leaves. Plant cells plump with water are also more flexible and able to better withstand wind and heat – cells that dry out will show up on the plant as brown patches or tips on leaves and stems.
HEALTHY HYDRATION
Plants have developed ways to manage fluctuating water availability through physiological changes in leaf structure and other adjustments. While this helps keep them alive in times of water stress, stressed plants have reduced growth rates, are more susceptible to
