Introduction
Looking after your indoor plants can be a tricky business. You want to give them enough water so that they stay healthy and grow, but too much and you’ll kill them with root rot. If you’re not sure how often to water your potted plants, here’s what we recommend:
Watering is an art. You can water too little or too much — and either way, your plants suffer.
Plant watering is an art. It’s a balancing act between giving your plants enough water to keep them from wilting, and keeping the soil from getting too soggy.
You can do it wrong either by watering too little or too much. Either way, your plants will suffer!
It’s trial-and-error at first — but with a little care and attention, you’ll get better at it as time goes on.
Experiment with how much to water your plant.
Experiment with how much to water your plant.
The general rule of thumb is to water when the potting mix feels dry, about every one or two weeks. This will vary depending on how quickly the soil dries out and how often you water. If you’re still unsure, use a moisture meter or dig down about 2 inches into your potting mix and feel for yourself if it’s completely dry. If so, go ahead and give your plant a good soak!
Moisten the soil until the water comes out at the bottom of the pot.
- Moisten the soil until the water comes out at the bottom of the pot. This will ensure that you have watered your plants to their proper level.
Water in the morning.
The morning is the best time to water, for several reasons. First, it helps you avoid fungal diseases on your plants. Fungal diseases are more likely to occur under conditions of wetness and cool temperatures (a common condition overnight). Also, watering in the morning helps ensure that you won’t overwater your plant by accident—which can lead to root rot or other issues. Finally, watering in the morning also helps prevent waterlogging and water stress (which can damage plants) from occurring in areas with heavy rainfall or high humidity levels.
It’s better to under-water than over-water.
Watering too much is a common problem for new gardeners. If you water your plants too often and too much, it can cause root rot, which will kill them. Your plant might also wilt if you over-water it, or even have yellow leaves if its roots are not getting enough oxygen.
Get a moisture meter for indoor plants during winter.
A moisture meter is a handy tool to have around the house. It can tell you when to water indoor plants and pots, and it can also be used in the garden or lawn.
Here’s how it works: Turn on your moisture meter and place the probe into your potting mix (or soil). The display will show you how much moisture is in there—the higher the number, the better! If you want your plant to drink less water than what its soil test says, just adjust its settings accordingly.
Watering is a balancing act but you can get it right with a little trial and error and care.
Watering is a balancing act, but you can get it right with a little trial and error and care. There are many variables to consider:
- Temperature of the soil, air and water
- Amount of water the plant needs at any given time (see our article on How Much Water Do Plants Need?)
There’s no need to be discouraged if your plants become too dried out, or if they have over-saturated roots that are susceptible to disease or rot. You just need to experiment until you find what works best for your plants. Similarly, if you’re watering too much or too often—or under-watering—you’ll want to adjust accordingly. The worst thing we can do as growers is become complacent about our watering practices; it’s all part of the learning process!
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips have helped you understand what watering your plants means. Now it’s time to get out there and experiment!