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Plants absorb water from the soil by a process called osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration (where they are abundant) to an area of low concentration (where they are less so) through a semi-permeable membrane. This process is vital for the survival and growth of plants. – the natural movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration, across a semi-permeable, sieve-like membrane, to an area of low concentration. When the soil is moist, it contains a higher concentration of water molecules than the cells inside a root, so water moves from the soil, through the root’s outer membrane, and into root cells.

To maximise the amount of water they can drink, most plants have small, fibrous roots covered in thousands of tiny hairs, creating a huge surface area for absorbing water.

Taking care of roots and getting them connected with moisture in the soil at planting time will help your plants establish. Here's how:

Before starting, make sure the rootball is moist. Once the plant is in its hole, backfilll around the rootball and gently firm down the soil. To help the soil settle and make even better contact with the roots, water well.

Another way to plant is to 'puddle in'. This method floods the planting hole so soil is drawn down with the water, making good contact with the rootball.

Fine roots and root hairs damage easily, affecting their ability to take up water, so be gentle when handling young plants. If you're planting bare root or rootballed plants, keep the roots covered while you prepare the hole to stop them drying out in the air.

Keep an eye on new plants during their first spring and summer, when they need to get their roots into the surrounding soil to search for water. In prolonged spells of drought, look out for trees and shrubs in their second growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn. too.

To check moisture levels in the ground, scrape away a few inches of soil with a trowel and sense for moisture with your finger. If it feels dry, then water well.

As water moves from the soil into root hair cells by osmosis

Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration (where they are abundant) to an area of low concentration (where they are less so) through a semi-permeable membrane. This process is vital for the survival and growth of plants. , pressure inside these cells builds. Eventually, the water is squeezed out into the surrounding space and moves by osmosis into the next root cell along.

Once it has moved from cell-to-cell across the root tissue, it enters xylem vessels

Xylem vessels are the pipework in plant stems that transport water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant. at the centre of the root. Xylem vessels are like a pipe network, delivering sap

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding. (water and diluted mineral nutrients) around a plant.

The movement of water up through a plant, against gravity, is mostly due to a drawing force known as transpirational pull, created by water evaporating from leaf pores. As water is cohesive (its molecules are attracted to each other and cling together) and adhesive (sticking to cell and vessel walls) it moves up through the plant as a continuous column.

Different types of s oil (such as heavy clay or sandy loam) have different water-holding capacities, depending on their structure and texture. The texture – the proportions of sand, clay and silt – as well as the amount of organic matter dictate the size and number of pores a soil contains.

Soil pores are the gaps between soil particles in which water or air is held. Their size affects how well a soil drains. If you have coarse sandy soil, it will contain large pores that let water drain away quickly. If you have fine silty soil, the pores are small, and water clings by surface tension to the soil particles, draining away slowly.

Take care not to compact your soil, damaging the valuable pores, so avoid walking on your veg beds and flower borders as much as possible. Fine particled clay soil especially can have its structure easily damaged if you walk on it in wet weather, effectively squashing out the air from its pores.

To improve your soil's structure, add organic matter such as home-made compost or leafmould . Whether it's dug in as a soil improver

Any substance dug into the soil to improve its structure. This is usually organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, garden compost or leafmould, but could be an inert substance such as lime or gypsum. or spread on the surface as mulch , it acts like a sponge, holding water in the soil for plants to use. Digging in organic matter also aerates

Aerating means providing roots with enough oxygen to promote healthy growth. This can be done by ensuring that the soil is well-draining and not waterlogged, or by adding organic matter to the soil to improve its structure and allow for better air circulation. Aerating a lawn means creating small holes in the soil to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the roots of the grass. the soil, aiding drainage. It's therefore useful in soils that are prone to drying out AND in soils prone to being excessively wet.

For more advice, see our handy guide on looking after your soil .

Dry spells interrupt the channel of water moving up through a plant, halting the delivery of vital nutrients

To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually taken up from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants also need carbon, oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates — their main energy source. Carbon and oxygen come from the air as carbon dioxide, while hydrogen is drawn from water absorbed by the roots. Other important soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough of these nutrients to support healthy plant growth. and other molecules to cells. As a result, water stressed plants can show slow, stunted growth, poor or no flowers, undersized fruit, premature leaf drop and an increase in pest and disease problems.

However, wilting is usually the first symptom you’ll see when a plant is dehydrated. There are two different types of wilting to look out for:

Some plants are more vulnerable to damaging water stress. So, during dry spells, keep an eye on:

• Seedlings
  A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. and young plants
• Newly planted specimens that aren’t yet well rooted-in
• Plants that are starting to flower or fruit
• Mature, ‘instant impact’ specimens that often have a small rootball
  The roots and accompanying soil when a plant is removed from a container or lifted from the ground. compared to the size of their crown
• Plants in containers , as their roots are confined to a small amount of compost
  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

As well as watering, gardeners can keep their plants hydrated by slowing down water loss through transpiration. Try grouping containers to increase air humidity, standing plants in trays of moist gravel, damping down greenhouses and putting up shading.

Suprisingly, plants can also wilt in waterlogged

Describes soil or potting compost that is saturated with water. The water displaces air from the spaces between soil particles and plant roots can literally drown, unless they are adapted to growing in waterlogged conditions. Waterlogging is common on poorly drained soil or when heavy soil is compacted. soils. In these conditions, water has completely replaced oxygen in the soil’s pores, meaning roots no longer have the oxygen they need to turn sugars into energy ( respire

Respiration is the process by which energy stored in sugars is released for growth by a chemical reaction inside cells. In plants, glucose (the sugar produced by photosynthesis) is broken down inside plant cells in the presence of oxygen, releasing energy as well as water and carbon dioxide. This process is essential for the survival of plants as it provides them with the energy they need to grow and carry out their life processes. ). With respiration

Respiration is the process by which energy stored in sugars is released for growth by a chemical reaction inside cells. In plants, glucose (the sugar produced by photosynthesis) is broken down inside plant cells in the presence of oxygen, releasing energy as well as water and carbon dioxide. This process is essential for the survival of plants as it provides them with the energy they need to grow and carry out their life processes. hindered, other vital functions are restricted and water uptake into the plant is interrupted.

This has the same effect as permanent wilting due to a lack of soil moisture, and recovery is only possible if oxygen is returned to the rootzone. Other symptoms of waterlogging include yellowing, leaf drop, dead patches along the middle of leaves and rotten black roots when you dig them up.

Houseplants are often killed with kindness when wilting is mistaken for thirst. So, before watering wilted houseplants, check the compost below the surface by sticking your finger in to sense for moisture.

Waterlogging or flooding in summer, when plants are actively growing, is usually more damaging than in winter. Improving the soil with organic matter is a good way to prevent problems as its many pores act like a sponge, mopping up excess water.

In situations where the ground is regularly waterlogged by flooding or a high water table, it's best to choose plants that will cope with these conditions. Those that originate in boggy places are adapted to grow in the low oxygen levels of saturated soil, so are more likely to thrive. See our guide to moisture-loving plants and our guide to bog gardens .

Soils that fluctuate seasonally between wet and dry are particularly challenging for plants. A clay soil is often wet in winter but dries out to the point of cracking in summer. Very few plants are adapted to cope with these conditions, making it hard to choose plants that will thrive.

Improving the soil by digging in organic matter , installing irrigation and drainage systems and planting on a mound or in raised beds , can help widen the range of plants to choose from. For more ideas see our guide to plants for wet and dry soils .

It's easy to think that poor flowering is the result of an immediate problem, but irregular dry spells, even in a previous season, can affect your plant's flowering display.

Spring-flowering shrubs like camellias and rhododendrons start their flower-making process the previous year, and poor flowering in spring can often be traced back to a dry summer the year before. Bulbs too can exhibit blindness if it's been dry after flowering the previous year.

Fluctuating moisture levels during a growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn. can affect fruiting. Tomatoes are especially sensitive to damage due to irregular watering. Their fruits swell suddenly when lots of water is applied, causing the skin to crack and split. This shortens storage life and increases the chance of mould.

Seasonal water shortage can also affect nutrient absorption. Although there may be enough nutrients

To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually taken up from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants also need carbon, oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates — their main energy source. Carbon and oxygen come from the air as carbon dioxide, while hydrogen is drawn from water absorbed by the roots. Other important soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough of these nutrients to support healthy plant growth. in the soil, a lack of water means a plant can't take them up. Blossom end rot in tomatoes and bitter pit in apples are examples of water-stressed calcium shortage.

Now you know more about how plants absorb water, put this into practice to help your plants thrive:

• Check what type of soil you have before planting up a new garden. This helps you better understand how well it holds and drains water and how you can best manage it. See our guide to assessing your soil type and information on the 911±¬ÁÏ Soil analysis service
• Take care when planting to ensure good contact between roots and the soil, as this helps plants establish quickly. See our guide to planting perennials and our guide to planting trees and shrubs
• Water container plants regularly and thoroughly during dry spells, as their restricted root space makes them prone to water stress. See our guide to container gardening
• Improve your soil by digging in or mulching
  Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. with organic matter like well-rotted manure or home-made compost
  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. . This helps retain moisture in dry soils and improve drainage in very wet ones. See our guide to using organic matter
• Try to water fruit crops consistently so they swell at an even rate, reducing the risk of splitting and ensuring soil nutrients
  To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually taken up from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants also need carbon, oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates — their main energy source. Carbon and oxygen come from the air as carbon dioxide, while hydrogen is drawn from water absorbed by the roots. Other important soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough of these nutrients to support healthy plant growth. remain readily available to roots. See our guide to watering