Hey There, Plant Friends!!
It's Adam, your local plant pro! Today we are going to learn a little bit about watering!
One of the big reasons why house plants die is usually from over watering, which leads to root rot.
We often get questions asking how often to water and how much is enough for my plant.
There is a huge rule of thumb when it comes to watering your house plants; when in doubt let them dry out. Most plants have evolved to go through periods of drought, so they are move likely to live through a skipped watering that too much water!
There are few different methods on determining how dry or moist your soil is:
- The finger method: Simply stick your finger about two knuckles into the soil near the base of the plant, if you feel moisture, let the plant dry out a little bit longer. If you feel the soil is dry, give your plant a good drink!
- Soil probe/Moisture meter: If used properly these are a wonderful tool for determining moisture! However, be sure sure to read the instructions accompanying your meter.
- Weight: The lighter the plant the drier soil. The heavier the plant the more wet soil.
- Bamboo Skewer: Like a toothpick to a baking cake, take your bamboo skewer and stick it into the soil near the base of the plant. When you pull back the skewer if the soil was moist, soil will cling to the skewer (kinda like cake bater on a toothpick) if the soil is dry, the skewer will most likely come out clean or have very little soil attached.
We recommend watering your plants in your sink or bath tub to ensure the soil is evenly and thoroughly watered. Once you start to see clear watering running from your drainage holes, you know the soil is properly saturated.
If you plan on watering using drainage trays, ensure that you toss out any standing water after a few minutes. Never let your plant sit for too long in a full drainage trays.