The Bonsai Tree
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Bonsai Tree Care and House Plant Care

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Watering house plants - simple questions with simple answers

How to tell if your plant need water?

Indoor gardeners use many different methods for judging when a plant needs to be watered. Experiment with various methods of testing moisture levels and then adapt the one you find most effective.

The touch test. Most indoor gardeners agree that this is the best method to judge a plant's need for water. Feel the soil surface with your finger. If the potting mix is dry to a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch, add water. If the potting mix is still moist, keep checking the plant periodically, as often as daily.

Drooping or wilted foliage on a house plant usually indicates it needs water fast! Water a wilted plant thoroughly; then wait. After several hours the plant should resume its normal appearance. House plants usually survive this wilting once or twice, but not indefinitely. Constantly wilting plants indicate poor gardening habits. For your plant's sake, don't rely on this method for judging water needs.

The weight test.

Some people judge a potted plant's water needs by the weight of the pot. The lighter the pot, the less moisture present in the potting mix. To effectively judge the moisture present using this method, you must know what the pot and plant weigh both when well watered and when in need of water. This method is best left to the experienced gardener.

Some gardeners claim they can tell when a potted plant needs water by tapping the pot. If it sounds like a thump it doesn't require water; if it sounds hollow it needs water. To use this method, a good ear for thumps is necessary. The people who have it are probably the same ones who can tell a ripe watermelon by thumping it. This method also works best for an experienced gardener.

The water meter test.

There are several new devices, generally called "electronic moisture meters," designed to measure the moisture present in your house plant's potting mix. Water meters all operate on a similar principle: they record the flow of a very weak electric current generated by a small battery or by a chemical reaction to moist soil. In most cases, the more moisture present in the soil, the stronger the flow of electric current.

To use such a meter, push the probe into the soil in the plant's container and wait for the signal. Try several readings on each plant at different soil depths to get an accurate idea of overall water content. Water meters are available from nurseries, garden centers, and mail-order garden supply firms.

Whichever type of meter you purchase, follow the directions carefully and be alert for its shortcomings. You may get inaccurate readings if you water with distilled water or if there is a salt buildup in the potting mix. If your meter is battery operated, the battery could be weak or dead. So, should a house plant look wilted and have soil that appears bone dry, give it some . water regardless of the water meter's message.

A good way to water

Provided your plant has the proper potting mix and drainage, proceed as follows: 1) Feel the top inch of the soil. If it is dry to the touch, add tepid water to the soil surface. 2) Continue to add water until you see it seeping from the drainage hole. 3) Allow the plant to drain (either into a sink or drainage tray) for a minimum of 10 minutes. 4) Discard any excess water standing in the tray (a potted plant should never sit in water). 5) Repeat this procedure when the soil surface again is dry to touch.

Use a watering can with a straight or slightly curved spout. This prevents you from spilling as you water.
After you have followed this watering procedure for a time, you should be able to estimate the amount of water your plants utilize. Add the amount of water each plant uses; then, in a few minutes, check the drainage trays for any excess water.

Should you soak a plant in a pot or use a little at a time?

Many kinds of house plants, especially Boston ferns, benefit from occasionally having their entire pots immersed in water. Soak the pot (have water at room temperature) until bubbles stop coming to the surface; remove the plant and let it drain. Then return it to its normal place. Immediately after this periodic dunking is a good time to apply fertilizer.