A method of plant-initiated, cognitive watering is provided, which includes providing first a sensor(s) to ascertain water content within a xylem of a root of a first plant to determine tensile stress on a first root wall of the first plant, and a second sensor(s) to determine water content within a xylem of a root of a second plant to determine tensile stress on a second root wall of the second plant. Further, the method includes operatively coupling the first and second sensors to a control to determine whether the tensile stress on the first root wall reaches a specified threshold, and to determine whether tensile stress on the second root wall correlates to there being excess water content in soil in a region of the second plant, and if so, initiating, via the control, moving water from the region of the second plant to soil round the first plant.