Plants and the curse of overwatering
HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH WATER A PLANT NEEDS?
Some people water their plants extra when they go on holiday, thinking the plants have a little ‘stock’ to use in your days of absence. But this is probably a ‘nail in the coffin’ for your plants, and you will most likely find most plants very unhappy or even half dead when you return, tanned and relaxed.
Read this blog to learn all ins and outs about watering your plants!
LESS IS MORE WHEN IT COMES TO WATERING
We love our plants dearly and want to care for them as much as we can. But with a lot of people this results in overwatering. Because to water is to care, right? But after some time the plants don't look as healthy as they did when you just bought them. The leaves turn a bit brown here and there, so you logically think; it is drying out! You end up giving them more water, more often. But now the plant is clearly dying! Help!
Let met explain something. Most plants don't need as much water as you might think. Ofcourse there are plants who looove to have their soil moist at all time, like the high maintencance calathea family, those cute carnivorous plants and other swamp-lovers. But I think 90% of plants don't need that much water. Plants can be thirsty, yes. But most plants don't want to stand in a layer of water for too long. The soil consists of organic material, and when it is wet too long, the natural rotting process starts. This can happen within two days! So here is what I tell all my clients:
plants want to drink for half an hour max
and when they have fully replenished, they need to have dry feet until it's time for their next watering.
BUT HOW TO KNOW HOW MUCH A PLANT NEEDS?
Short answer, you can't. You cannot ask them, and it also varies during the year. Especially if you live somewhere on the globe where you have very different seasons, with different levels of sun, indoor heating, airconditioning, wind, and growth cycles.
So the short and very easy solution:
let the plant decide how much it wants to drink!
You can try this fool proof method with smaller plants, who are in pots with drainage holes at the bottom. Simply place the pot in the sink (or bathtub/shower,) fill the sink and the pot with a layer of water and let the plant drink for 30 minutes max. Drain the water afterwards and place them back on a saucer or in the pot. And repeat this method every week in spring/summer, and every two weeks in fall/winter. Easy does it!
Another method when you have a big plant in a nursery pot, standing in another pot, or a pot with a hole placed on a saucer --> water the plant until you see a bit of water at the bottom of the outside pot. Now wait and check when the layer of water in the pot/on the saucer is gone. If that happens within 30 minutes, add more water, and repeat the process. When the water is not going away anymore, the plant stopped drinking and had enough! Don't forget to keep track of how much you gave. You will notice the plant drinks differently at different times and start to understand it better!
So, to come back to the people who are going away on holiday, now you understand you shouldn't give your plants 'extra' water. Ask a neighbour to care for your plants, put all plants together and place a bucket of water with cotton strings in them and place the strings in the soil, or invest in a watering system like this. Happy holidays!!
Green greetings,
Studio Wendel
