Evapotranspiration is the combined loss of water from soil and plant surfaces by evaporation, plus water released from plants through transpiration. In gardening, it describes how quickly water moves from the ground and vegetation back into the air.
Higher temperatures, stronger sun, lower humidity, and more wind all increase evapotranspiration, which raises how often plants need water. In outdoor beds and containers, evapotranspiration helps explain why soil dries faster in hot, breezy weather than in cool, still conditions. It is related to plant water use, but it also includes water evaporating directly from the soil or mulch surface.
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