One of the most frequent questions I get when it comes to indoor plants is some variation of “How often should I water?”. Unfortunately there is not a “one size fits all” answer since there are so many variables among each plant and its environment. However, I’m going to try to share some tips on how I personally go about deciding if a plant is or isn’t in need of a drink!
First of all, you’ll need to do a bit of research on your plant/s so you can provide the best environment you can. All plants have specific soil and lighting requirements, and some are more forgiving than others. Some can even be sensitive to temperature changes and/or drafts, or have specific humidity needs.
Soil options are wide and varied – the majority of house plants will like a porous, fast-draining soil. Not all potting soils are created equal – its best to avoid the “cheap” potting soil, as it is usually much too heavy. I personally use ProMix for all of my potted plants (even for my seedlings and outdoor planters) as the main component. If I need more drainage (such as for my succulents, epiphytes, and hoyas) I will add substances such as perlite , charcoal, or grit/crushed granite to make it more airy. Again, asking someone at your local greenhouse or a quick Google search can tell you what type of soil your plant prefers.
Proper lighting is also crucial to the success of your plant. In the near future I’ll be writing a post about natural and supplemental lighting, as it deserves a spotlight (ha!) of its own.
So once you know what kind of plant you have, what kind of soil it prefers, and what kind of lighting it wants, you’ll need to figure out how often it needs water. Does your plant prefer to stay evenly moist, or does it like to dry out thoroughly between waterings? Either way, whatever pot you are using should have drainage holes so excess water has somewhere to escape.
For plants that like to stay evenly moist, you’ll need to find the balance between too much and not enough water. An easy way to test the moisture of the soil is by touch. The top 1-2 inches of soil should be dry, and below that should still be moist. This is a good time to water your plant if it prefers to stay moist and not dry out completely before the next watering. Some people like to use bamboo skewers to test the moisture further down in the pot – same principle as the “toothpick test” when you’re baking. There are also moisture meters that you can purchase that will give you a gauge of how moist the soil is.
For plants that like to dry out completely between waterings, you’ll again have to determine if the soil is indeed thoroughly dry. You can again use the same methods as above. Another way I can tell if the soil is completely dried out is by the weight of the pot. It will be significantly lighter in weight when the soil is dry.
Not only will getting hands-on with your plant’s soil cue you in on if it needs water, the plant itself will likely be telling you as well.
Overwatering is pretty easy to do – we end up “killing them with kindness”! I like using my own pictures in my posts, and I usually don’t take pictures when my plants are looking sad! So unfortunately I don’t have any “overwatered” plant pictures at the moment. However these are the characteristics to watch for:
- Wilting leaves, but the soil is still wet – you can try repotting in dry soil to see if it can be saved. Leaving it in the wet soil risks rot since the saturated soil for long periods doesn’t allow oxygen to get to the plant.
- Yellowing and/or dropping of the leaves – could also potentially be pests!
- Soft or black stems – signs of rot
- Oedema/Edema – pustules or bumps on the leaves from the plant taking up too much water
- Leaf splitting – succulents can be prone to this if overwatered – the plant pulls in too much water and the leaves burst
- Translucent leaves – again seen in succulents – the leaves become soft and pale in color, easily drop from the plant
Underwatering is the other extreme, and some of the signs can be similar to overwatering.
- Wilting leaves, but the soil is dry
- Yellowing and/or dropping of the leaves – ditto above!
- Crispy, crunchy leaves
- Leaves have a wrinkly appearance or a leathery texture
For my indoor plants, I usually check on the majority of them weekly, some thirstier ones twice weekly during the winter months since here in Minnesota the air is soooo dry. Below I’m going to show some examples of what I watch for in my plants to know if they need water or not. I was watering succulents today, but the same general principles apply to most plants.
