One of the most common problems for plants dying is the overwatering of plants. When you are watering your plants especially indoor plants, is that plant roots need as much oxygen as they do water, and if the plants are overwatered then it is a lot harder to get the same amount of oxygen needed because the roots are being drowned in water.
In this quick guide I will walk you through how to water plants, how often to water plants and when is the best time to water plants.
Plant symptoms of getting too much water and plants not getting enough water are very similar and both cases will lead to the same outcome of declining root health and even the result in death.
Indoor plants
A common question for indoor plants is “how often to water plants?”. As there are so many different species that have a variety of water requirements and therefore have different water needs. For example, factors to take into consideration such as the plant’s stage of growth, plant type along with locational weather and soil.
A useful guide for watering plants is that plants that are bigger and or have thinner leaves will frequently need more attention when it comes to watering compared to plants that have thicker leaves or stems.
After a plant has had a new rush of growth, the plant will then start a period of inactively. During this stage, the plant will require less watering.
Pots
If your indoor plants are used in a clay pot, it is important to note that more watering will be needed, as water evaporates through a porous clay pot.
A small plant in a bigger pot will require less water than having a larger plant in a smaller pot.
A handy indication of when a plant is needing more water is by weight. A greater loss of moister should be easy enough to observe.
Soil
Different textures of soil are needed to be taken into consideration. Heavy and fine forms like peat moss, will hold more water than sand and bark.
If you touch the soil of the plant and it feels dry then it will need water.
Another indicator is to tap the sides of the clay pot, if the sound you hear is dull then the soil will be moist. If you hear a more hollowed sound then the plant will need water. This is because when the soil is dryer, the moisture moves away from the edges of the soil.
You can also get a good idea of a plant’s water reserves is by the color of the soil, as the lighter the soil is then the dryer it will be throughout the pot.
Environment
If your plant is in a warm environment with more light then it will naturally need to be watered more often than if your plant was in a cooler and in a low light environment.
How to water plants
When watering your plant, you need to water until the water starts to seep through the bottom of the pot. Doing this will help with other issues such as removing additional excess salt, and will make sure that the lower end of the pot which contains most of the roots has had an adequate amount of water.
Watering plants with hot or cold water is not recommended. Using water temperature of around 65F will be good for your plant.
Water that has been softened should not be used for plants, because of the adding additional chloride or sodium, which will damage the plant in the long run.
Overwatering
A common sign of overwatering is seeing your plant over sagging, as this could be a sign of the roots not working to their full capacity meaning the plant’s ability to take up water will be decreased. If too much water is added then this will damage the plant’s roots further leaving you with a worse problem.
When is the best time to water plants
When it comes down to what time of the day should you water plants, it isn’t as big a problem in regard to the other stuff we have covered here. However, in the more humid and warm months of the year, you should consider watering your plants first thing in the morning, which will allow your indoor plants time to absorb the water before a potentially unusually hot day when your plants will need the water the most.