Watering

In my younger years, I was not so great with houseplants.  I was under the impression that, for the most part, all they needed was water.  If the leaf tips were brown - it needed water.  If the leaves were yellow - it needed water.  If it was wilting - it must need water, right?

I also had this idea in my head, since they need water all the time, that I could just dump a bit of water in them any time I happened to have a water bottle I hadn't finished.  Just give it to a plant.  Surely, they needed to be watered every few days, right?

I didn't know how DIFFERENT plants watering needs are!  I had also never even heard of "overwatering" and "root rot".  I just assumed I was bad with plants.

I have since learned that over-watering is a bigger issue than under-watering.  And here's another shocker - over-watering doesn't really mean giving the plant too much water at any one time.  It means watering it too often and not giving it a chance to dry out sufficiently between waterings.  Some plants like to dry out completely (cacti and succulents for the most part).  Others like to just have the top inch or so of soil dry between waterings (most Calatheas and most Alocasia).  Others like to get about 50% dry in between (most Philodendrons).  You can generally tell by looking at the plant.   Does it have thick, succulent leaves or a big trunk or stem?  If so, it most likely stores water and won't need to be watered as often.  Plants with thin leaves and stems need water more often, as they don't really have a place to store water.

So, first rule of thumb is - water when your plant is appropriately dried out, for that type of plant.  Second - when you water, water THOROUGHLY.  Not a 1/4 cup.  Not a 1/2 cup.  If your plant is of a size that you can pick it up and carry it, put it in the sink and water it until the water runs from the drainage holes.  Then wait a few seconds, and do it again.  And again.  Once the plant is thoroughly watered, let it drain before returning it to its spot.  Try to wet the soil and not the plant.   Some plants especially do not like to get water in their crowns and can be susceptible to rot.  Let me reiterate because this is important.  Do not water your plants leaves.  In our homes, they do not have the wind, sun and heat necessary to dry their leaves, and leaving the leaves wet or allowing water in the crowns will cause problems, especially in plants that seem to have that "perfect spot" for water to collect.

If your soil seems to have water beading up on it, it has become "hydrophobic" - meaning it doesn't want to take that water in.  You can try just gently roughing up the soil surface.  If it has some white build-up on it, it can be from minerals in the water.  We have well water, and it has high mineral content.  If this case, flush your plants once per month with distilled water to help rinse those deposits through.  Another option for plants with hydrophobic soil is bottom-watering.  Let the plant sit in a shallow dish of water and absorb water from the bottom.  It's done drinking when the top of the soil feels damp.  Just don't forget to take it out of the water after an hour or so.  If all else fails, change your soil.

So, the key points are:  water when appropriate for the type of plant.  Water thoroughly, so that the whole root ball gets watered.  Let it drain (drainage is a must!) before returning it to it's cover pot or saucer.  Then water again the next time it is appropriately dried out - may be 2 days, may be 2 weeks.  If it's not time, it's not time!