Needs watered

[Maybo]

Dry soil feels much lighter than wet soil, and after a while you’ll be able to tell instantly whether your plant needs watered. (Why Is My Begonia Wilting? By Smart Garden)

Is “needs watered” equivalent to “needs to be watered”?

 

[jutfrank]

It should be 'needs watering'.

Yes, it means 'needs to be watered'.

 

[emsr2d2]

This is a Scottish variation. I became aware of it from hearing one specific Scottish TV presenter on a home improvement programme use the same construction repeatedly.

You can see this house needs decorated.
The kitchen needs replaced.

The first few times I heard it, I simply thought she was using bad English! However, I checked online and it's a dialectal variation. I think this was confirmed on this forum a year or so ago.

 

[jutfrank]

Ah, I didn't know it was used in Scotland. I'd guess it's used in other dialects, too.

However, it's certainly not standard, and for a learner, I'd definitely consider it wrong.

 

[Skrej]

You'll hear it in the US as well.

 

[SoothingDave]

This is a feature of my dialect in western Pennsylvania. The car needs washed. The dog needs fed.

 

[Rover_KE]

As jutfrank said, learners should consider that construction wrong and not use it.

 

[SoothingDave]

As jutfrank said, learners should consider that construction wrong and not use it.

Yes. I do not use it in formal writing or where it may confuse outsiders.