Every August my plants would wilt no matter how much I watered. I assumed more water was the answer, so I dumped a can on them every afternoon. They kept dying. The problem was not how much water, it was when and how I gave it.

Why afternoon watering fails

Water in the heat of the day mostly evaporates before it reaches the roots. And wet leaves in strong sun can scorch. So I was basically watering the sidewalk.

The one change that saved my garden

1. Water in the early morning, before the sun gets high.
2. Water deeply and slowly, right at the base of the plant.
3. Mulch around the stems to hold the moisture in.

Deep watering trains roots to grow down, where the soil stays cool. A shallow sprinkle every day keeps roots near the surface, where they bake.

What I do now

I water twice a week, slowly, instead of a little every day. On a hundred degree day I also give potted plants a shade break in the afternoon. They recovered within a week and stopped looking so defeated.

The big shift was realizing a wilted plant is not always thirsty. Stick a finger in the soil first. If it is wet, the plant is stressed, not dry.