• Water plants early in the morning if possible.  Watering later in the day or on windy days results in much of the water being wasted through evaporation. Watering grass and gardens in the evening can lead to the growth of fungus in the soil. Make sure to adjust sprinklers so that you are not watering the sidewalk, house, or street.
• Watering plants less often, but deeply helps them establish stronger and deeper root systems. Make sure to water near the base of the plant.
• Remove weeds ASAP so they are not competing for resources with your vegetables and flowers.
• Landscape with drought resistant plants to save time, labor, water, and money.  (Up to 550 gallons of water per plant per year!)
• For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
• Compost adds moisture and mulching locks in moisture
• Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent using the garbage disposal.
• For container gardens, use potting mix, which will allow for better drainage.
• Remember all vegetables and fruits need a minimum of 6 hours of sunshine a day.
• Liquid fertilizers and plant foods are more effective than dry varieties.

                     
pH refers to the acidity/alkalinity level, which controls how well plants utilize the nutrients available in the soil.  All plants have a pH preference, so it is important to know the pH level of your soil.
Nitrogen (N) is an important component of many important structural, genetic and metabolic compounds in plant cells. It is a major component of chlorophyll, the compound by which plants use sunlight energy to produce sugars from water and carbon dioxide (i.e. photosynthesis).  Thus it is directly responsible for producing  leaf growth and green leaves.  Nitrogen is one of the most abundant elements on earth, but its deficiency is probably the most common nutritional problem affecting plants worldwide. Deficient plants have yellow leaves and stunted growth.  Too much Nitrogen causes overabundant foliage with delayed flowering.
Phosphorous (P) helps plants convert other nutrients into usable building blocks with which to grow.  Plants need phosphorous to be healthy, but they often have a difficult time absorbing it. With a Phosphorus deficiency plants are small, producing little or no flowers and have a bright green purplish cast to them.  Most plants are grown from flowers or fruits, so phosphorous is particularly important.  To add phosphorous organically, try adding compost, which can help plants to absorb the phosphorous already in the soil. Buy a commercial fertilizer high in phosphate like Bloom Boosters and add to the soil or you can also add bone meal for an organic solution. Be careful when replacing phosphorous because it can run off into the water supply and cause many environmental problems.
Potash (K) strengthens plants by helping to form carbohydrates and promoting protein synthesis.  It improves the color and flavor of fruit, as well as aiding early growth, stem strength and cold hardiness. Deficiencies result in stunted growth and poor root systems. Leaves are spotted, curled and appear dried out on the edges.