Watering plants/veg - just the soil/roots or the leaves too?

[Tiggsy]

Setting up an irrigation system for my garden - mix of baskets, veg, flower beds, etc.

Should i be using drippers at ground level to keep the soil watered or do i need sprinklers, up higher, to shower the whole plant with water.....I've read mixed stuff - some say wetting the leaves keeps bugs down, others say it causes problems if the plants are damp a few times a day?????

It's easy to rig up either way, just want to get it right!

[freecar]

just water the soil, water on the leaves will damage the plant in strong sunshine.

[Granville]

If you're going to give the plants a good soaking (leaves etc) then you need to do this late in the evening when the sun and heat of the day has gone off the plants. Your plants will look more revived by the following morning.

For irrigation drippers then just the soil will do.

[Tiggsy]

So if I'm dripping the soil is there any benefit to soaking the plant in the eve as well?

[Granville]

You may want to give the plants including the leaves a bit of a soak with a hose once a week or so if it's been really dry and dusty. It will wash off any dust and bugs that might have built up. Only do this in the cool of the day though so it doesn't evaporate off the plant too quickly and this way the plant will benefit more from it.

As long as they are getting water & nutrients they will be fine.

[Tiggsy]

ok, so need for a daily watering of the leaves then...just at soil level.

[freecar]

It is possible to foliar feed through the leaves so spraying can have benefits. However as a previous poster recommends it can wash bugs and dust from the leaves which can only be good!

[GKP]

freecar said:

water on the leaves will damage the plant in strong sunshine.

I have some hazy memory of the RHS debunking this long established theory recently.