Water and irrigation needs of aromatic plants

 All plants need water depending on the type of plant and the nature of its growth

Benefits of water for plants

The water in the soil dissolves the salts and nutrients in order to facilitate their absorption by the root hairs

Water carries nutrients from the root to all parts of the plant so that the plant performs photosynthesis, through which the plant synthesizes carbohydrates.

Water maintains cell viability and transports materials from one cell to another

When there is a lack of water, the cells wilt and loosen, and when dehydrated, the cells freeze and die

Water is necessary for cells to carry out all vital operations

Plants can be divided into four categories according to their water needs

Aquatic plants

It is the one that lives in an aquatic environment or soil saturated with water. It has special modifications   that enable it to live in this environment like a  fucus It is an aquatic algae and  Acurus calamus It is an aquatic weed

Semi-aquatic plants

They are plants that tolerate to some extent the increase in water in the soil, such as mint and willow

intermediate plants

And it needs an average amount of moisture, and it needs to ventilate the soil so that the roots can breathe and grow well

If grown in a dry environment, some of its characteristics change and the thickness of the chitin layer increases, Their stomata are closed most of the time, If the soil moisture increases, the leaf area increases, and the cutin decreases, Examples include star anise, solanum, fennel, soybeans, marjoram and fenugreek

desert plants

It tolerates to a large extent the lack of moisture in the soil and has special modifications such as increasing the layer of chitin and waxes, The stomata and leaves are parallel and point upwards, and the roots go deep into the soil

When growing medicinal plants, emphasis should be placed on their water needs ,Where irrigation increases in summer and decreases in winter, Sandy soil plants need to shorten the irrigation period

While the period is prolonged in heavy lands. It is also noted that herbaceous plants need water more than trees and shrubs, This is due to the deep roots of trees and shrubs in the soil Irrigation also affects the concentration of medicinal and aromatic substances. Excessive irrigation of desert plants reduces the concentration of aromatic substances in them