Many times I’m asked, “How often should I water my houseplants?” While it’s a legitimate question, how often a plant should be watered ought to be preempted by, “How should I water my houseplants?”
You may think that watering is a no-brainer. While it may seem like a simple task at first thought, there’s definitely a right way and a wrong way to water, and quite often it’s done incorrectly – at the expense of your plants. When it comes to successfully growing houseplants, your two new best friends should be a watering can and a water-collection device under each pot. I prefer a plastic watering can because they’re lightweight, don’t rust and often come with a breaker (nozzle) on the end of the spout. The breaker literally breaks the stream of water into smaller streams, and prevents “craters” forming in the media (potting mix), as well as prevents blasting the media out of the pot and onto the floor. A long spout on your can will also help reach those “hard-to-get-to” areas. To avoid ruining carpets or hardwood floors, you’ll also need a plastic saucer under your houseplant to collect any excess water that may run out of the bottom of the pot. When applying water to a pot, direct the breaker around all sides of the pot so that the water is distributed evenly onto the media’s surface. This technique will ensure that all of the roots have equal opportunity to absorb the water they need. Apply the water just at the base of the plants to avoid getting the foliage wet.
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