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ups.com...

Brian wrote:

The foliage cannot reduce the water reaching the soil.

I question that. If you water the plant from above, some of the
water is going to stay on the leaves and then evaporate, rather than
dripping onto the ground.

Ken


Not wishing to get too academic about this but if the leaves are wet then
the rate of transpiration will slow and the amount of water needed at the
roots is reduced, hence the technique of misting plant leaves.
Given a finite amount of water then putting it at root level may be best but
how do you know where is the best spot? Do you water the root crown or the
root perimeter?
The best example I can think of where a plant directs water exactly where
needed is Gunnera. Every drop of water is funnelled off the waterproof
leaves
directly down the stalk and bang on the root crown.