I think of it as plant rescue when I enter certain big stores. These are the ones with a garden section tagged on one side each summer.
I had the misfortune to go into my local large store today to buy some sodas and a matching fuschia for the deck (I had already purchased 3). As I walked into the garden area the floor was soaking. The plants were dripping too. Clearly I had just missed watering time. However, when I looked at the plants hanging above me, they were indeed a sorry looking set of containers. The watering had been sufficient to water the leaves, but not soak into the soil for the roots. Consequently at 9 in the morning they were wilting.
Watering containers is tough in the summer. Plants use far more water through evaporation than they do in cool springs. This frequently means that you need to water well twice a day. When you water though you should do so for long enough that the water drips out of the bottom of the pot. This way the plant roots are encouraged to spread out and reach the water throughout the pot. Adding some fertilizer to the water will help keep your container plants happy for the whole summer.
If you need to leave the plants for a day or two, move them to a shady place so that they do not use as much water. Of even place them in a cool basement for a few days. They may look tired and weary when you return but they will not be dead, and they will recover nicely within a day or two of being back in the sunshine. Make sure that your plants are well watered if you go out of town for a longer period of time.
