Proper Watering Techniques for Houseplants

Because I have worked with tropical interior plants for 37 years, I have encountered many different ways that people use to water their plants. The most popular is the weekly method. My plants in my home and in the greenhouses where I work do not respond well to this method. I usually water most of the plants in greenhouses everyday--but there are exceptions. My plants have different watering needs and I must adhere to each plant's needs in order for it to become a large thriving specimen.

Plants can adjust to a method of watering if given enough time, and if it does adjust to your schedule, all the better for the both of you. I have, however, come in contact with plants that are in dire need of help because of this stringent watering schedule. They are either over watered or under watered. Both situations can easily kill a plant.

The first step in determining how often to water is to read the information about the plants you have. The watering needs of most common plants are listed in houseplant books on the market. If it needs to be kept moist, such as most ferns, check the soil daily to determine how long it takes to dry a bit. If it takes a week for the soil to become a bit lighter in color, then once a week is fine, If it becomes lighter in a day or two, then the plant will wilt or even die if it is not watered often enough. Most plants that have delicate leaves usually need to have a consistently moist soil. Also the more light available to the plant, the faster it will use the water, and the more frequently it will need watering. In the same way, in less light a plant will use less water.

If a plant likes to be surface dry at times, keeping the soil moist and dark is not a good thing, Most cactus and succulents need to have the top of their soil dry a bit before they need water again. Too much water and the plant becomes mushy. You can tell the moisture content of a soil by two different methods; watching the soil color on the top, and using your finger to test it. When a soil is moist, it is dark in color and cool to the touch. If your finger comes out with a bit of dirt on it when prodding the surface, the soil is moist. Dry soil is much lighter in color and no soil adheres to the finger when taken out. Surface dry refers to just that; only the top 1/3 of the soil should dry. Then water only the top 1/3 that is dry. Allowing water to pour out the bottom of the pot only leaches the soil and pulls out nutrients. The bottom 2/3 of the soil in most plants (with the exception of cacti in winter) should always remain moist. If it dries then the plant becomes dehydrated and water stressed. Not a good thing.

These are just two guides to determine watering techniques for your plants. How to be Successful with Houseplants From the Plant's Perspective was written for those who wish to learn how to determine the watering needs of their plants. Go to www.nature-in-design.com preview the manual.