Im unsure how much i should be watering my vegatables im growing in 5 gallon buckets. Ive just been spraying them down when i see the soil start to dry out but now my cucumber plants which were looking great are now wilting. It is cool today and all my other plants look fine but still how much watering is too much?

Spraying them down?

Any symptoms other than wilting? Any yellowing leaves?

I just saw some moisture meters at Walmart...the plain, no gimmick, needle-type that reads "very wet" through "very dry". Simple. $5.00.

Too much watering is when the roots can't get oxygen and the plant drowns. And then, too, a constantly damp surface invites fungus, etc.,.

What soil mix are you using?

Did you make drain holes in your buckets? Spraying them down is rarely good for any type of potted plant. The buckets should be flooded until water starts to come out the drain holes in order to wet the root zone. Depending on how hot the weather is that should last a week...less if very hot. The roots need to remain moist, but not wet, so check with a finger poked into the soil until you get to know how long.

Planting in 5-gallon buckets he does need to keep a watch on the moisture level fairly closely. Those rescue tomato plants that I put in the pots almost got away from me the yesterday...they were all drooped down. I called myself keeping an eye on them but next thing I knew they were in distress. I flooded them and they're looking *much* better today!!! It's hot here!!!! Got up to 91F and currently 88F.

A rule of thumb that works for me is to water in the morning.

If the plants look wilted in the evening, don't water. If they still are wilted in the morning they need watering.

A lot of plants will wilt down in the afternoon sun but catch their breath over night and will perk back up.

Yes i have holes in all the buckets i usually just gently spray them down for a minute with the hose on shower. I will start putting it right to the soil tho so it wont hurt the plants? Im using miraclegro potting mix with some compost mixed in.

Yeah, don't spray the leaves. I guess every once in a while might be ok if you're in a dusty environment but if you do spray do it so the plants have a chance to dry off before nightfall. Flooding the soil is the way to do it.