WATERING 101

Water Only When Needed

Proper watering keeps the soil moist enough to

supply the plants’ needs without drowning the

roots. Saturated soil drives out air, and roots can

die from lack of oxygen. Proper pot drainage is

critical. All the soil in a pot should be wetted

thoroughly each time the plant is watered.

Always empty the drainage water from the catch

basin beneath your plant container after each

watering. This will reduce the possibility of water-

logged soil and prevent the dissolved salts in the

water from being drawn back into the soil.

What Type of Water to Use

Do not use water that is unusually high in salts or

has been run through a water softener to water

plants. Rain or melted snow are good alternate

sources of water for houseplants. Some plants

are sensitive to the chlorine in city water systems.

Letting a container of tap water sit overnight

before use will allow most of the gas to escape.

Signs of Dehydration & Overwatering

Stem and leaf wilt signal dehydration, but you

should avoid waiting for this sign. In addition, the

soil mixture may pull away from the side of the pot.

At this stage a plant is stressed, and repeated

treatment of this sort is ill advised. Watch for these

signs of dehydration:

Leaf growth is slow.
Leaves become translucent.
Leaves or flowers drop prematurely.
Leaf edges become brown and dried.
Lower leaves curl and yellow.

Frequent watering with small amounts of water can

lead to waterlogging. This forces air from the soil

and provides ideal conditions for the growth of

fungi and bacteria. These organisms attack the

plant’s roots causing rot and plant death.

Certain plants thrive in wet conditions--cypress or

umbrella plants, for example. Many tropical plants

with thin, delicate leaves--hibiscus, for example-- will not thrive in dry soil. Other plants will fail under wet conditions. A late and obvious sign of overwatering is growth of fungi or mold on the soil surface.

Early signs of overwatering signs include:

Young and old leaves fall at the same time.
Root rot--mushy, brown possibly odorous roots--are seen in pot bottom.
Standing water noted in container underliner.
Flowers become moldy.
Leaves develop brown soft rotten patches and fail to grow.