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We’re supposed to drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day. By about glass No. 6, I’m gasping for air like a blowfish.

The same can happen to the potted plants out on the patio or in your flower beds. Too much of a good thing is still too much.
So how much water is enough?

That’s pretty easy to answer for outside potted plants. Every single day they need a soft, steady stream of water until you see it dripping out the drainage holes. Talk about commitment!

As the weather gets hotter, once is not enough. If you’ve ever witnessed the miraculous recovery of common impatiens you know what I’m talking about. One minute the leaves and bright flowers are wilted, shriveled and appear to be at death’s door. The guilt meter is on high and you rush to revive the plants, thinking of all the money you’ve spent.

Presto! Give ’em a drink and they plump up in no time.

As you’d imagine, this is extremely stressful on the plant, not to mention your self-esteem, so keep those impatiens pots in the shade. When the heat gets intense they may need water two or three times a day.

One caveat: Pots and baskets can be tricksters, making you believe they’ve had a drink when they really haven’t. They spit it out when you’re not looking.

If you’ve just started watering and it’s instantly draining out the bottom, that’s a bad sign. The planter may be so dry the soil can’t absorb anything. When that happens, I lower the pots into a plastic kiddy pool or bucket of water about two inches deep and let them drink from the bottom up for half an hour or so.

If you just can’t decide how much is enough, stick your pinkie into the soil a couple of inches. If it comes out moist you’re done.
Soil watering meters are a good investment, too. They stay in the pot or soil and keep your pinkie clean.

Not to confuse you here, but you need to know that overwatered plants have the same lifeless look as underwatered plants. That’s why the spot check is important.

Overwatering also means most of your fertilizer is going down the drain. For the summer months you should use balanced fertilizer to keep the blooms coming. That means we look for something that says 20-20-20 on the front of the package.

A garden is a little different. The plants will still show the same signs of thirst and wilting, but flower beds need to dry out a little between waterings because the roots need oxygen as much as they need the water.

Whether you’re using a soaker hose, sprinkler system or drip line, infrequent but deep watering is best. Mulch holds water in and conditions the soil.

Overhead sprinklers are less effective, but you still won’t need to use them for more than a half-hour. Watering each bed anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour twice a week usually does the job, depending on what kind of soil you have. The plants will tell you if they’re not getting enough.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, those six glasses of water are starting to catch up with me …

Here’s this week’s to do list:

• Tie lilies to a strong support before they bloom.
• Prune lilacs and azaleas now (after they bloom), or you’ll be cutting off next year’s flowers later.
• Change hummingbird feeder daily. Boil 1 cup sugar in 4 cups water. Refill feeders or refrigerate.