Plants need two basic things to survive, light and water. Today we will be talking about one of the more difficult aspects of plant care, watering.
Knowing when to water your plants can be tricky business. There is no right way to quench your housemates, but there are two general ways to go about it: watering on a schedule or watering as needed. We get more success by using our intuition and watering when needed but as your collection grows or depending on your day-to-day, having a designated time may be the best way to success.
Intuitive watering
o We believe this is the best way to start your watering regimen as it gets you familiar with your plants’ needs and a better understanding for when your collection grows. A good rule of thumb for most houseplants is to wait until the top two inches gets dry.The easiest way to check this is to use your finger. The soil should be dry up to the second knuckle. Our preferred way is to use a designated chopstick. Stick the chopstick down to the bottom of the pot, then remove and stand next to the outside of the pot. The wet soil will stick to the wood. This will give you an idea of how much water is left in your soil.
Schedule watering:
o Depending on the season (plants need tons more watering in the spring and summer growing months) most tropical houseplants will need to be watered at least once a week. Succulents, cacti, ZZ plants, snake plants, as well as a few others can be left alone for two weeks up to a couple of months depending on the season. Research each plants’ individual needs and group plants with similar needs together in your watering rotation.
Now that you’ve considered when you will be watering, you will need to decide how you will water. The main two ways are top watering and bottom watering. While both have their benefits, we use the bottom watering technique regularly at DCC, but keep a watering can handy for fertilizing and aeration. We do this to prevent pests (especially fungus gnats in the growing months), negate over-watering, and save water. Distilled water will ensure minerals found in tap water won’t damage delicate roots and can be bought by the gallon. You can also invest in a water distiller once your collection grows or get spring water from water dispensers in your local grocery store.
Bottom watering
o Pros:
The plant only takes the water it needs
Purchased water can be saved and reused
If using a big enough container, many plants can be watered at the same time
No dry soil
o Cons:
Water can take time to absorb into the soil
Can be timely if the right size container isn’t available
Not all plants can be bottom watered due to growing style.
Top watering
o Pros:
Fun and interactive with the plant
Can be used for all plants, though some do better with bottom watering
Faster
o Cons:
Can waste water running from the bottom (negate this by watering one plant over another after carefully checking for pests/fungus)
Can easily overwater plants creating breeding grounds for pests and soggy roots
Water will run through soil that is not properly aerated, giving the illusion of over-watering while leaving the soil closest to the roots dry
Watering is one of the trickier parts of plant parenting simply because it can be so hard to diagnose problems that watering causes. In general, underwatering will cause brown, dry leaves to form but can also cause yellowing leaves. If your leaves are shriveled, curling, or puckering, it is usually a sign of underwatering. In contrast, overwatering will cause leaves to turn black and mushy, excrete excess water, or flop over. Researching your specific plants’ needs will help to understand the amount of watering it will need.
General rules:
o Succulents and cacti will need significantly less water than tropicals.
o The type of pot will also play into the watering needs. Terracotta sucks water from the soil. These pots are better suited for desert plants or for humans who have a habit of over watering. Nursey pots used with a decorative cover pot can help mantain proper water levels while giving the aesthetic you are interested in.
o The thicker or waxier the leaves/stems, the less water the plant will need. This applies to ZZ plants, snake plants, most succulents, and all cacti.
o Try to recreate the environment from which the plant came. Calatheas grow in the dark undergrowth of tropical jungles, close to the ground where it is more shaded, thus more humid. While cacti grow in the full sun of the desert where there is very little rain.
Whether you are a seasoned plant parent or a blossoming one, watering doesn’t have to be a pain. Once you understand what your plant craves, it comes down to working with what works for you. Play around with the water you use, you may be in a place where the tap water will work just fine, or if you or your human housemates have a habit of leaving unfinished water bottles to die, dump the leftover water into your pots. Convert IV bags into self-watering systems or buy ones specifically for plants. Remember, the plant hobby is meant to destress your life, so if a plant doesn’t make it chalk it up to a learning curve and start again. Trust us, we have laid many a croton, parlor palm, and calatheas to rest in our compost bins. They are plants, not puppies. Above all, remember that plants want to grow, and most are extremely resilient and will eventually learn to grow where they are planted!