How to Properly Water Plants
If you’ve been working with plants for a while, these tips may seem obvious. However, if you’re a little newer, these proper watering tips are going to change your plants lives!
Learn how to properly water your plants!
1. Water the roots
Ever wonder why watering cans have these sleek, thin spouts? It’s so you can directly water the root area of your plant! The roots are the part of the plant that’s thirsty, so you want to make sure to give them all the water. Meaning, make sure to water the base of the plant, instead of pouring water over the plant.
When you do this:
(1) the roots get the water they want, as when you water from above there’s a chance the water won’t even make it to the roots
(2) it will encourage the roots to grow to the bottom (meaning happier plants!)
(3) wetting the plants foliage can actually promote the spread of disease (such as bacterial and insect infections)!
2. Let your plant tell you when to water
Before we say anything else here, you should research your plant and have knowledge of its natural habitat. That information is your first indicator on how much water your plant likes. However, if that information still doesn’t make you feel confident, here are two tricks of trade.
(1) Stick your finger in the soil and measure its moisture level. No fancy tools here! To perform this test insert a finger into the soil and stop once you feel moisture. If the soil is dry to your second knuckle, it’s time to water your plant.
(2) Weigh your plant. This trick only works if your plants are in pots or containers. Lift your potted plant, does it feel light? It needs water. Heavy? It should be after you just watered it. Eventually, you will know about how heavy your plant should be after a healthy watering.
3. Timing matters
Bottom line here: Water your plants in the morning.
Why?
First, because the ground/soil is coolest then. Watering in the evening means the soil is warmer. Wet, warm foliage can attract insects, fungus and disease, however it’s more difficult for diseases to take foot on dry foliage. So, on that note, if you do get the foliage leaves wet, they will have time and light to help dry, instead of staying wet all night.
If your plant is wilting and it’s later in the evening, you can go ahead and water as it may be more critical at this time to water your plant. However, make sure to carefully water at the base!
4. Water deeply
Water deeply, water thoroughly. For potted plants, you can accomplish this by watering until water comes out of the drainage holes. If water comes out of the drainage holes right away, you’re probably watering around the dry rootball.
It is much better to slowly water and wait for water to come out of the drainage holes than to give your plant a cup of water a day. Using the cup of water a day method promotes shallow root growth, meaning full length roots probably won’t develop. If and when the cup of water is missed, the plant easily wilts, and could be lost from dehydration.
If your plants are planted outside and not in pots, know the roots you’re watering. Annuals concentrate their roots within the top six inches of soil. Whereas trees, perennials, and shrubs are the top twelve inches. Keep in mind it may take the water hours to reach those roots!
5. Choose the right pot and remove excess water
After you choose the right pot (one with drainage), be aware that potted plants and containers will need to be watered more frequently. Soil in pots and containers typically dries out faster as pots can hold heat. The larger the pot, the slower it is to dry as the pot can hold more water.
Once you have watered deeply and water is coming out of the drainage holes, make sure the plant is not sitting in water, and to remove any excess water. Why? Think about it this way, if you were caught in the rain and walked into your home completely drenched, your first instinct is most likely to change! If you don’t you’re more likely to catch a cold, etc. Plants don’t like to stay in their drenched clothes either.
Bonus: Something to keep in mind with watering is that some tropical plants can be sensitive to the water used. Some tap waters may have salts and minerals dissolved into them which can actually burn their roots. Watering deeply with distilled water will help to flush out these salts.
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