How much do I water a snake plant? How much do I water a succulent? How much do I water my peace lily? You get the picture – the answer is that it will vary immensely.
A simple question but so many plants are sent to an early death due to overwatering (or under watering – you know that wilted look and the plant passes the point of no return of dried up, crinkled leaves!!). Personally I used to be terrible for using the limp factor be the indicator for watering!! No wonder I lost so many plants (I was a slow learner!!). But it’s not too hard so let’s look at some simple factors that will help you stay on top of watering your house plants so you don’t lose them and waste all that money spent.
Start your plant on good health habits
It’s always exciting to bring home a new plant to liven up a living space and often what would happen to me, is after a few months they would start to look a bit average. According to Dr Houseplant he informs me that almost all plants have defined periods of growth and rest. This can therefore impact how much water they need. During the growth phase, generally the plant will look strong, crisp and green.
When they are resting, however, they can temporarily lose their vivid colours in the foliage and it may lose a few or all leaves (and it may look a bit out of sorts). It is during this time, that the plant needs less water than normal as it will not absorb it. So you will need to give it a little bit to prevent the soil from drying out completely.
There are other factors to take into consideration: Dr Houseplant recommends: “Water more often if the temperature is high or the air humidity is low; the plant container is made of unglazed clay; the plant is large, but the pot relatively small; the plant has filled its pot with roots; or the plant has large, thin leaves.”
And it is also recommended that you water less often if the opposite is true – the temperatures are low, or the weather is overcast; the air humidity is high; the plant container is plastic or glazed clay; the plant is relatively small in a large pot; or the plant has succulent leaves or stems.
By all means if the plant needs water, then give it plenty! It’s as easy enough as to give it a good soaking so the water will drain through the soil into a drip tray which you will need to empty an hour or so after watering. By then, the plant will have absorbed all that it needs. Generally houseplants like to be watered well and dried out before they need another good soaking.
A quick test is to press into the soil with your finger and if the first inch is damp, it generally won’t need watering (unless you’re like me and you won’t get back to it for another week, so a quick sprinkle is okay for the sake of the plant living!). If it is dry then dig a little further as it could just be dry on the surface.
Eco Tips for your Indoor Plants
Quick watering – no wasting water
– Don’t throw the water away from your drink bottle before you wash it, instead tip it into a pot plant!
– While waiting for the shower to warm up, often there is a considerable amount of water wasted, place a couple of plants in before the water heats up. Or alternatively, place a bucket under the shower to catch the water and once you step in move it out the way. The after your shower, use the bucket of water on your indoor plants.
