Free Plant Watering Guide

💧 FREE GARDEN TOOL

Plant Watering Guide

Stop overwatering or underwatering. Get a simple watering schedule based on your plant type, climate, soil and sun — in litres and gallons.

✓ Free & instant ✓ For vegetables, herbs & flowers ✓ Imperial & metric

Watering Calculator

Plant type

Climate

Soil type

Sun exposure

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Your watering schedule

Water every—Choose your plant and conditions, then calculate.

Water per watering—Per plant, at the base of the plant.

Water per week—Total for one plant over 7 days.

Your watering plan will appear here.

How the watering guide works

Every plant has a base watering need. We start with how often your plant type likes to be watered and how much it drinks at each watering, then adjust for your conditions. Hot weather, sandy soil and full sun all dry soil out faster, so you water more often. Cool weather, clay soil and shade hold moisture longer, so you water less often.

Use the schedule as a starting point, then check the soil before you water: push a finger about 5 cm (2 inches) into the soil. If it feels dry at that depth, water. If it feels damp, wait another day.

Worked example

A tomato plant in a hot climate, in loam soil, in full sun: tomatoes normally need water every 2 days. Hot weather and full sun each pull the gap down by a day, so the guide gives every 1 day, 2.5 litres (0.66 gallons) per watering — about 17.5 litres (4.6 gallons) per week for one plant.

Typical watering needs at a glance

Plant	How often (mild weather)	Water per watering
Tomato	Every 2 days	2.5 litres
Lettuce / leafy greens	Every 1 day	1.0 litre
Cucumber	Every 1 day	2.0 litres
Pepper	Every 2 days	1.5 litres
Carrot / root vegetables	Every 3 days	1.0 litre
Herbs	Every 3 days	0.5 litre
Succulent / cactus	Every 7 days	0.25 litre
Flowers	Every 2 days	1.0 litre

Common watering mistakes

Watering on a fixed schedule without checking the soil. Rain, wind and temperature change daily — always check the top 5 cm (2 inches) first.
Light, frequent sprinkles. Shallow watering keeps roots near the surface. Water deeply so moisture reaches the roots.
Watering the leaves. Wet leaves invite disease. Water at the base of the plant, ideally in the morning.
Watering at midday. Much of the water evaporates before it soaks in. Early morning is best; evening is second best.
Ignoring your soil type. Sandy soil may need water twice as often as clay. Match the schedule to the soil you actually have.

Pro tip: A 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 inch) layer of mulch cuts watering needs by up to a third — it keeps soil cool and moist. Work out how much you need with our Mulch Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Push a finger about 5 cm (2 inches) into the soil near the plant. If it feels dry at that depth, water. If it feels damp, wait. Wilting leaves and dry, cracked soil are late signs — check before your plants get stressed.

It depends on the plant and the soil. Leafy greens and cucumbers in hot weather often need water daily, while herbs, root vegetables and established plants may still be fine every 2 to 3 days. Use the calculator above, then adjust by checking the soil.

Yes. Morning watering lets water soak in before the heat of the day and gives leaves time to dry, which reduces disease. If you can only water once a day, make it early morning.

Easily — succulents store water in their leaves and rot in wet soil. Water them about once a week in summer and even less in winter, and always let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Use a pot with drainage holes.

Yes. A mulch layer shades the soil, slows evaporation and keeps soil temperature steady, so you water less often and use less water overall. It also suppresses weeds that would compete for moisture.