Does Giving a Plants Different Amounts of Water Affect the Growth?

Overwatering

• Too much water literally drowns plants because the plants can not breath. There are tell-tale signs that plants have had too much water, including yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant, wilting or withering and stunted roots or stunted plant growth. In addition, new leaves may turn brown or the soil around the plant may turn a greenish color. If overwatering persists, roots will eventually rot.

Underwatering

• Without the proper amount of water plants can not get the nutrients they need to survive, because there is not enough water to transport the nutrients. The plant is not getting enough water if leaves start to turn yellow, dry out or become brown. Roots popping up above the soil surface and hardening and cracking of the ground around the plant are other noticeable symptoms of an underwatered plant. If fruits and veggie plants are underwatered, they will not produce.

Functions

• Water makes it possible for seeds to germinate and for plants to take up vital nutrients from the soil. Water also plays a key role in photosynthesis, the process through which green plants combine energy from light with water and carbon dioxide to make food. Water also helps to maintain soil temperature. Transpiration is the exiting of water out of the leaves of a plant so that hydrogen and oxygen can mimic themselves as water vapors to be released into the air.

Tips

• Make sure that plants are in an area where there is proper soil drainage, as this is a good prevention measure for overwatering. If water stands for at least 30 seconds after watering, this means that the plant has had enough water. If soil soaks up the water immediately after watering, this means the plant has not had enough water. Purchase a soil test from any garden center near you to measure drainage. Soil can be tested anytime you are not sure about the moisture level of the soil.