The Lions Garden ThePlantHospital.com

How To Water Your House Plants Properly

Probably the most important element of house plant care is proper watering. More plants are killed by overwatering than by anything else. Close observation and good judgment are essential for proper house plant watering. Growing conditions vary from home to home and room to room due to variations in light, temperature (day and night) and humidity. Plants with roots in shallow containers may need daily watering, while plants in large tubs may go several weeks between waterings. Succulents and other dry-soil plants require less watering than moist-soil plants such as ferns and African violets.

Proper watering keeps the soil moist enough to supply the plants' needs without drowning the roots. Saturated soil drives out air, and roots can die from lack of oxygen. Proper pot drainage is critical. All the soil in a pot should be thoroughly wetted each time the plant is watered. Always empty the drainage water from the catch basin beneath your plant container after each watering. This will reduce the possibility of waterlogged soil and prevent the dissolved salts in the water from being drawn back into the soil. Soil should dry to the point that the plant approaches moisture stress between watering intervals.

Do not use water that is unusually high in salts or that has been run through a water softener to water plants. Rain or melted snow are good alternate sources of water for house plants. Some plants are sensitive to the chlorine gas in city water systems. Letting a container of tap water sit overnight before use will allow most of the gas to escape

The frequency with which a plant needs to be watered depends on the type of plant, the type of container, the room temperature and the time of year. Generally, houseplants need more water during the growing or flowering season. However, the dry atmosphere of many homes in the winter may make it necessary to water more frequently.

The type of container is a consideration in determining when a plant needs water. Plants in small pots easily become dry, especially in pots made of clay. The danger of overwatering can be lessened if the pot has good drainage with holes in the bottom. In ornamental containers without drainage holes overwatering is easy and can be disastrous.

Water requirements vary greatly from plant to plant. If you let a plant wilt before you apply moisture you have waited too long. If this should happen, submerge the plant or water it thoroughly. If the plant comes back, you are lucky. Few plants can stand this to happen to them more than once.

One of the best methods for telling when a plant needs water is by touch. Insert your finger about one inch into the soil. Rub a bit of the layer of soil between your thumb and forefinger. If dry powder results, watering is in order. If you get water or mud coated fingers, do not add water. If the soil feels moist wait a day or two and check again.

If watering instructions for a plant suggest keeping it dry, this means that a few drops of water inside of the rim of the pot should suffice. The soil should remain crumbly and feel fairly dry. Moderately moist means that the soil is allowed to dry before watering again. Constantly moist indicates that you should always be able to feel moisture. Wet means that water will appear when you press the soil with your finger.

There are three methods of watering. No matter which is your preference always be thorough. The easiest way to water container-grown plants is from above. Stop when you see water flowing out of the drain holes in the pot. Water slowly, in the morning, allowing time for the water to soak into the soil. Soil that is left wet overnight can become a breeding ground for plant diseases. Top watering helps to wash away any salts accumulated on the soil surface.

A second method is bottom watering. Plants such as African Violets, which have tender roots, can be watered by placing the pot in a shallow saucer and filling the saucer with water. When you see damp spots on the surface of the soil, stop watering and remove the plant (or empty the saucer). Watering with this method can be a problem due to the accumulation of salts on the top surface of the soil. This chalky substance can injure your plant, but it is easily flushed away by top watering until water begins to drain through the bottom of the pot. If salting occurs on the soil of an African Violet, and you decide to top water, be sure to use room temperature water and allow the plant foliage to dry, away from the sun, in a warm location.

A third method of watering is called plunging or submerging. This is often done to shrubby plants in well-drained pots that shed water easily or as emergency treatment for plants that have become dried-out. Submerging removes air from the soil. The removal of air can be seen from the small gas bubbles emerging from the soil. Submerge the pot until the bubbles stop and then remove the plant and allow it to drain so that the soil absorbs fresh air. Whether you apply moisture from above or below, pot saucers need to have excess moisture poured off within one hour from the time that you apply the water.

Regardless of what method you choose, water temperature is important. Take the chill off water before you use it on your houseplants. Tropical plants are especially sensitive to having icy water either at their roots or on their foliage. Water for houseplants should be barely warm or tepid (within 10 degrees Fahrenheit of room temperature).