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Knowing when to water houseplants can be a big deal when you’re a newbie houseplant parent. Over and under watering are the quickest ways to kill that trendy little plant baby you just shared on your plantsagram page. I promise you that learning how to properly water your plants isn’t hard at all.
The first thing you need to know is what kind of plant(s) do you own? You’ve got to do this research or you could fail before you even get started. If your plant baby came with a tag that says something other than the generic “houseplant” or “Tropical Foliage,” you’re already ahead of the game.
If you don’t want to do research, then look to your plant for cues for when your plant is thirsty. When you bring your plant home, take notice of how the foliage looks and feels.
The best time to water succulents
Succulents only need to be watered about once a month or when you notice a slight wrinkling of the foliage.
Many plants with leafy foliage will begin to curl or droop when thirsty. Others will wrinkle and shrivel. Foliage that typically feels firm will begin to have some give.
Please note that when you let your plant dry down to the point of wilting and wrinkling, it is hard on the plant. I don’t recommend waiting that long to water.
The best time of day to water your plants is in the morning.
Watering your plants in the morning allows them the day to absorb some of the water in their roots while the sun is up. Watering late at night has the potential to cause fungal issues within your soil.
Once it is time to water, take your plant to a sink and water until you see water coming out of the drainage holes. There is no need to continuously run the water through the soil unless you have a plant that loves wet soil like ferns.
If you have a situation where the water is running down the sides of the pot and not actually saturating the soil, you will want to continuously water until the soil is fully saturated.
When your plant is too big to take to a sink, put it on a tray so that you can water freely without the mess indoors. Once you see water fill the tray, then it’s time to stop.
Once you “get to know” your plants, it’ll be easier to tell if they need water. You will be able to see the clues before it’s too late. If you are someone who cannot read visual clues, set a timer on your phone to go off weekly to check all of your plants.
Happy gardening
Ciearra
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