Watering Day Basics

Let's get down to it! Watering your plants can be one of the most intimidating plant care chores! You might often think to yourself? How much should I water? How often should I water? Do my plants like bubble baths? 

Well we are here to help!

How to tell if my plant needs watered? One of the easiest ways to tell if your plant needs a drink is to simply stick your index finger about two knuckles into the soil, preferably near the root ball. For most tropical plants (Philodendron, Pothos, Monstera) once the top 50% of the soil has dried out it would be a good time to water. If you stick your finger in two knuckles and the soil feels moist or cold wait a few more days to water! 

How much water should I use to give my plants a drink? This is often the most confusing question when it comes to watering day! When it is time to water your plant, you want to make sure that you saturate the soil completely. As some plants are different, and pot size can often play a factor in watering, so we try to not recommend a specific amount! Instead, try taking your plant from its location to a sink or shower and watering the soil thoroughly. Remember, it's more about frequency of watering, not amount of water. 

Plant Pro Tips: Most tropical plants in a 4" to 6" pot size generally need a good watering about once a week. 

Plant Pro Tips: Feel the weight of your plant after you water it? Remember how heavy it feels. When you go to check if you plants need water, simply pick up the plant and if it feels very light you probably need to water your plants! 

Desert or drought tolerant plants like succulents, cacti, snake plants, and ZZs love to dry out completely and can go for extended periods of time without watering. We usually say, "If you can remember the last time you watered for desert plants, it's probably too soon" in general a thorough watering every 2-4 weeks. 

Distilled water vs Tap Water: Some plants like Calathea or spider plants can be sensitive to chlorine and fluoride found is most tap waters. If you notice browning on the ends of the leaves consider using distilled or purified water. 

Plant Pro Tip: Most plants have evolved to tolerate droughts versus over watering!