water Is it ok to water in the middle of a really hot day?

HwyBill said:
 
This is why it is best to water in the evening when the sun goes down.
 
Keep in mind, during really hot days, your plants will look a little wilty and droopy naturally.  They will pep back up when the sun goes down.
 
What happens if there is a mid-day soaker?  Well... there is not really much you can do about that.  Plus, rain is usually associated with cloud cover, so they are much less likely to get as much intense direct sun.
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I've seen plenty of hot sunny  days when it you get a pop up shower and the sun is back out again shortly after as hot as ever long before the plants dry off. Perhaps another mechanism is at work if you're seeing damage.
 
i usually water in the evening anyway, because im working all day. in the evening i know better whether they need a drink rather than just wilting.
its still 30 odd degrees C when i get home from work though 
 
chicken_phat said:
Am I supposed to water everyday? I haven't had to water my garden in almost a month because it was raining so often, but it's starting to heat up.
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No sir, not every day. Only when needed. There are a few variables..... like are you growing in pots, or in the ground? The ground retains more water and tends to need less watering. In pots usually need more. The watering regimen is especially important to the quality and heat of your peppers, as well. Too much water can leave you with bitter tasting pods. Stressing them a bit and only watering when needed will increase the heat level - along with fertilizer routines, etc. - Best bet is to check the condition of your plants at dusk and see if they're sagging, then water as needed. If you see them really wilting badly, then you should water them as soon as you see they need it. I usually water mine when they look like this:
 
9178020400_fde859e9ae_b.jpg
 
chicken_phat said:
Its about 32 Celsius today and my plant's leaves are wilting/drooping. I've moved them into the shade for now. I heard that it's a bad idea to water during the day. Is that true?
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It's safe to say you are growing in containers if you moved them. Just because the leaves are wilting does not mean that they need watered. When you lift the container,does it have any weight to it? That is how I check and see if they need watered.You will set yourself up for root rot if you water everytime the leaves sag.

What color are your pots? I have shot the side of a black nursery pot and had a temp of 120°F on an 80°F day. Add that to soggy soil and you are asking for problems. The roots of our plants aren't visible,so it's easy for us to neglect them. To me,there is no reason to stress a plant within an inch of it's own life. How can you create hotter pods if a plant doesn't have any pods?

Getting back on topic. If your containers are light and the plants are haggered,water them. If they have weight to them,move them to the shade like you did.
 
Pepperhead said:
Geez.  I water mine way too much.  If you wait until they look like that, Then I need to back off a lot.
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lol! Nah... don't change what you're doing if it's working for you. I do mine like I do because I want the ultimate stress test on those peppers. That's really the only plant that gets that way because of the root pouch and the hot brick wall next to it. It goes from looking fine to wilted like that in just a couple of hours. All of my other plants get mostly just morning sun, so they rarely get that wilted.
See the plant next to it? It's my other 2nd year hab, and it gets shade from a palm.... and it's in a plastic container so it doesn't dry out as quickly
 
chicken_phat said:
Am I supposed to water everyday? I haven't had to water my garden in almost a month because it was raining so often, but it's starting to heat up.
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Living in the same city as you, I know about the rain fall we have had this summer and that this week including today is going to be very hot. Like others have said plants can droop naturally but when they are looking like Smokin' Hot's photo there, then ya I would water.
As far as watering in the middle of the day as long as you don't get alot of water on the leaves you should be fine, I have done it with no issues.
 
The frequency of watering depends on your soil mix and container size. Mine are in 5 gal pails. I'm about 30 North of Toronto, and I have watered twice this year. Last year I grew in 2 gal pots and they needed water every couple of days.

The forecast is for more thunderstorms for tomorrow and Thursday, so I probably wont be watering this week!
 
it gets really hot here i like to water then JUST barley enough to wet the soil  to cool the roots since you only put a little water u can do it early in the heat and later in the day 2 or 3 very small waterings a day rather than 1 soaking in themiddle of the day
 
Threehundredc said:
it gets really hot here i like to water then JUST barley enough to wet the soil  to cool the roots since you only put a little water u can do it early in the heat and later in the day 2 or 3 very small waterings a day rather than 1 soaking in themiddle of the day
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Mine all very. Some can go a week and others every 2 days.
 
Phil said:
 
No sir, not every day. Only when needed. There are a few variables..... like are you growing in pots, or in the ground? The ground retains more water and tends to need less watering. In pots usually need more. The watering regimen is especially important to the quality and heat of your peppers, as well. Too much water can leave you with bitter tasting pods. Stressing them a bit and only watering when needed will increase the heat level - along with fertilizer routines, etc. - Best bet is to check the condition of your plants at dusk and see if they're sagging, then water as needed. If you see them really wilting badly, then you should water them as soon as you see they need it. I usually water mine when they look like this:
 
9178020400_fde859e9ae_b.jpg

 
 
LOL thats how one plant that i have at work looks like.. People come buy and water it and im like wtf dont water my plants.
 
Also what kind of fertilizer is best?  I use a Jobes fertilizer spike..  My peppers are pretty bitter and i water the plant every 3 to 4 days or when its just way to dry.
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If that's what your plant at work looks like, then you should let people water it if it needs it!
 
As far as fertilizer goes, there are lots of different opinions out there on the subject. Some people prefer organic, I prefer Miracle Grow tomato food. The best way to choose a fertilizer is to look at all of the variables.... what's your climate? What soil are you using? Is it a "hot" soil - rich in nutrients? I tried using fish fertilizer, but couldn't stand the way it made my courtyard stink..... so I stick with miracle grow. We dry out quick down here, so I went with a fertilizer I could dissolve and pour right in. If your climate is mild and you keep moisture, then a time release spike could work fine for you. You might want to talk to some of the Canadians on this forum who have a similar climate to yours.
 
Good luck with the grow, and EAT ONE OF THOSE PEPPERS OFF THE PLANT!!!!

Most people here, regardless of how afraid they are, want to eat at least one of everything they're growing. Crazy, I know..... but it's a grower's pride thing, I guess.
 
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