Plant production Watering plants

Why do plants need water? Water keeps plants upright and stops them wilting. Plants also need water to make food and to carry nutrients through them. Some plants need lots of water and others need very little.

Watering methods Most plants can be watered from a watering can, from above.

Some need to be watered from below, by standing the pot in a water filled tray for a few minutes.

Capillary matting This is a material that absorbs water and stays moist.

Pupils made this automatic watering system. Water drips very slowly out of the tube onto capillary matting, lining the tray. The plants absorb the water.

Misting Systems Misting systems produce water spraying droplets that are smaller than a human hair. Millions of these tiny droplets hit the surrounding air, "flash evaporate", and quickly reduce temperatures 25 to 35 degrees.

Underwatering plants Underwatered plants wilt, have dry, yellow leaves and dry compost.

Overwatering plants If compost or soil is waterlogged, roots are starved of air. Overwatered plants have soft, rotting or mouldy leaves and slimy compost.

This powerpoint was kindly donated to is home to over a thousand powerpoints submitted by teachers. This is a completely free site and requires no registration. Please visit and I hope it will help in your teaching.