Always water at the outer edge of a plant’s foliage (drip line), not the base (collar or crown) of a plant - it can’t take up water there. The collar area should always be dry and have good air circulation to avoid rot.

We’ve all broken this rule: Water in the early morning. Morning watering helps plants hydrate before soil evaporation and transpiration (water loss through leaf pores) goes into high gear. Since plants take up more water when they’re photosynthesizing, they’ll use more of what you give during daylight hours. Evening water sits mostly unused and overnight damp conditions are more prone to disease than dry ones. But it’s not the end of the world to do some watering during our lovely desert evenings and sometimes it’s the only practical option.