As any gardener knows, watering plants isn’t as simple as unwinding the hose and dragging it across the yard.

Particularly with the fluctuating weather conditions this summer — hot and humid one day, cool and rainy the next — determining how much and when to water can leave even the most seasoned gardener confused.

We asked for advice from three gardening experts in the area: Chris Jensen, horticulturist at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark; Greg Meyer, Ohio State University Extension educator; and John Scott, Knollwood Garden Center general manager. All three cautioned that their advice is general and must be adjusted depending on the type of plant, its location and the weather.

“When I teach gardening, I tell them the really good gardeners don’t have a green thumb; they have the uncanny ability to know when their plants need water,” Meyer said. “Water is the most important thing for plants. They can’t live without it.”

Basic watering tips

Chris Jensen: “Watering at the base rather than using overhead sprinklers is better. You get more water down to the root.”

Greg Meyer: “It’s better to water slowly and deeply than sprinkling a little bit quickly every day. The plant doesn’t have the ability to soak it all up, so it runs off.”

John Scott: “The key thing is testing your soil. I tell people watering is like cooking. You can always add more garlic to the soup, but you can’t take it out. Watering is the same way. You can always water again.”

When to water

Jensen: “For flower beds and lawns, you want to water less frequently but longer. Generally speaking, once a week for a couple hours is better than sprinkling. The water sinks into the soil, and the roots follow the water. If you use sprinklers for a short time every day, the roots stay just below the surface and will dry out very quickly if you do not water daily.”

Meyer: “Much depends on location: where they’re planted and what they’re planted in. For instance, if you have a lot in containers, anything that’s above the ground will dry out very quickly. Vegetable gardens and flower beds may be fine with just a couple times a week.”

Scott: “You always want to water in the morning so the plant can dry in the sun, because you don’t want leaves to have so much moisture and the roots to be oversaturated at night. But it can also be done at 5 or 6 in the evening so the foliage is dry at night.”

What to do while on vacation

Jensen: “You’ve got to be really specific — this much, for this long, using this hose. Also, use timers for sprinklers.”

Meyer: “Watering ahead of time only does so much good. You can’t flood the whole area and say, ‘Well, that should be good enough.’”

Scott: “There’s no formula that says, ‘Yes, if you water every day, you’ll be in good shape.’ It really depends on ... so many variables.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2293 or nknoth@DaytonDailyNews.com.