The humble watering can is one of the most useful items in a gardener’s tool shed. While a hose, sprinkler, and in-ground system can all cover wider areas of the garden faster, a watering can is inexpensive and perfect for watering small areas and container gardens. When just one or two plants need an extra drink, it helps you avoid wasting water. It’s one of your best friends when you are looking to water garden flower beds, borders and containers.
As with all gardening tools, though, proper maintenance and storage is needed to keep your watering can in good shape. If you’ve been inadvertently keeping any water in a watering can, think on – you could be storing up problems. One of the most important things you can do after using your watering can is to empty it. Yes, it might be tempting to leave extra water there for the next round, but resist the urge. Here are 4 reasons why you need to keep on top of this to avoid watering can problems – plus, how you can keep yours in good working order for as long as possible.
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Why You Shouldn’t Leave Water in a Watering Can
While you may not be regularly guilty of keeping water in your watering can when not in use, it doesn’t take long for problems to start building up. Whether it’s because of disease, cold damage, or potential injury to visiting wildlife, there are some very real reasons to keep your watering can empty – to preserve the longevity of your can, and your garden health. Here are the main reasons you need to take care.
1. Stagnant Water Breeds Unhealthy Growth
The garden is for growing, but you don’t want to grow everything. Stagnant, still water can be a breeding ground for all kinds of unwanted growth, even some that can be harmful. For example, mosquitoes, which carry diseases that can affect you, your family, and your pets, lay eggs in still water. A few days or a week of letting water sit is a big watering mistake, as it is long enough for mosquitoes to start breeding and hatching.
Standing water in your watering can also promote the growth of algae and mold, which might be harmful to your plants. If you’ve left water too long, you should clean and disinfect the watering can before using it on healthy garden plants. You can also use mosquito dunk chunks to help reduce the risks in any standing water in bird baths nearby. Try Summit Dunk Chunks from Amazon.
2. Standing Water Can Harm Other Wildlife
The standing water in your watering can might generate some living things you don’t want. It might also drown some that you do want around, such as any beneficial insects you are looking to attract to a pollinator garden. Your local pollinating bees can easily drown in deep standing water. Even small mammals can fall in and drown.
While a bird bath can be a great way to provide water for your garden’s wildlife, a watering can presents a deadly hazard. Bees and small animals cannot get back out of a steep-sided container of water, like a bucket or watering can, once they go in. So always empty your watering can. You’ll be saving countless little lives that can then spread the love elsewhere in your yard.
3. Minerals Build Up Over Time
Another good reason to always empty and rinse your watering can is that it can develop a mineral crust on the inside over time. Water from the tap contains minerals, even soft water. This isn’t necessarily bad, but the minerals can build up on the inside of the can over time, stockpiling another problem.
While plants need all kinds of micronutrients, including those minerals, too many can be harmful. Also, the minerals can form a crust over the holes in the spout, also known as a rose, impeding water flow. If this has already happened to your can, clean or soak the can and spout with an appropriate cleaner to dissolve the minerals. Use a gentle cleaner like Mrs Meyer’s Clean Day All-Purpose Cleaner Spray from Amazon.
4. Freezing and Rusting
If you have a metal watering can, rust is an obvious issue. Leave water too long and too often in a metal can when you aren’t watering plants, especially if the water has a lot of minerals, and it will rust and eventually become useless. If you’re using the can in cold temperatures, the water might freeze inside of it. As water expands as it freezes, this can actually rupture a watering can, especially less sturdily constructed plastic cans. To ensure the long life of your can, this one is a no-brainer.
How to Use and Maintain a Watering Can
Most watering cans are inexpensive, but why be wasteful? If you take good care of your watering can, it will reward you with years of service, and your plants will thank you for watering them correctly. Empty out any excess water after every use, even if you use rainwater. Here are a few more things you can do to extend the life of your watering can and make sure you aren’t transferring any problems onto your plants and your garden.
- Rinse the watering can with fresh water after using it, with a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer. Fertilizers and plant foods can contribute to mineral buildup.
- Store your watering can upside down or on its side to keep it from collecting rainwater and debris.
- Clean it regularly with soapy water and a good scrub brush. Even when you empty it, the watering can retain some moisture and might begin to grow some algae. Use an eco-friendly brush like the Naturolic Store’s All Natural Wooden Scrub Brush Set from Amazon.
- Thoroughly clean and dry your watering can before you put it away for the season. Remove the spout to clean, dry, and store separately.
- Look for any signs of damage, rust, or cracks before storing your watering can and before using it in spring.
- Store your watering can indoors for winter to protect it from cold and fluctuating temperatures. Keep it in a location that stays dry.
- If your watering can is made of metal, consider applying a little rust-resistant spray to protect it over the winter. Use the highly rated Jenolite Rust Shield Aerosol Anti-Rust Spray from Amazon for metal cans.
Your handy little gardening tool will last for years if you take care of it. And your garden will thank you for never leaving water standing in it when your watering can is in regular use.
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