water-indoor-plants

Having a fancy for indoor plants is not just enough. There are many aspects to consider like weather, type of plant, and so on. And one of the main among these aspects is that you must be aware of how to water indoor plants, most notably in the right way. Also, you must know how to water indoor plants without drainage. 

What are the methods for watering plants?

Let us find out more about the ways of watering plants in the write-up. The other topics that we will discuss here include the following-

Best water for indoor plants most of the time; we use tap water for watering plants but have you ever thought about whether it is the best water for indoor plants? It depends on the quality of the tap water. Generally, tap water is acceptable, provided it is not soft water. This is because, over time, the soil in the soft water will accumulate in the ground, causing problems. Water that has undergone chlorine treatment is suitable for most indoor plants, but if you have a filtration system, it is better that way. Alternatively, you can collect rainwater and use it to water indoor plants.

Irrespective of the type of water you are using, normal room temperature water is the best option. Too hot and too cold water can cause damage to the leaves of the plant.

How to water plants from the bottom

This method of watering houseplants from below is the best. What are the advantages of watering plants from below? A few of the most significant benefits of this watering mode include preventing overwatering, being homogenous, and reducing the chances of draining nutrients. The most beneficial part is that you can be certain that the roots of the plants have received water. So, how will you go about it? These are the three techniques that you can resort to.

  1. Using a saucer You must place a saucer beneath the pot and, with fresh water, fill up the saucer when you intend to water the plant. Keep it for a few hours till the time the plant adequately takes up the water. Thereafter, empty the saucer and let the extra water drain on it.
  2. Soaking your plants – Take a large tray, a container, or use the bathtub. Whatever container you are using, fill the bottom few centimeters with water. Place the pots in it and let the pots remain there for a few hours before you place them back in their original places.
  3. Use self-watering pots – This does away with the fear of underwatering or overwatering. Just make sure the reservoir is full and does not get emptied.

How to water indoor plants while on vacation

There are three techniques you can use when planning to go away for a holiday.

  1. Self-watering pots – As mentioned above, this can be one of the options.
  2. Damp towel trick – Place a large piece of linen on a tray or a large surface and humify the same. Add water to the tray and place the pots in the moist area. However, although you are indirectly watering the plant by keeping it humid, the amount of water you pour into the tray will depend on the duration of your holiday. You will need more water for a longer duration.
  3. Garden twine trick Take a bucket, fill it with water and keep it on the table. This will serve as the reservoir. Small pieces of garden twine are cut and soak them. Each end of the wick or the twine is placed in the reservoir (bucket here) while you put the other end into the soil. The garden twine conducts water from the reservoir. In this way, the entire plant receives the water it needs over the days.

How much water does a plant need per day?

Not all plants will require the same amount of water. You will be able to find out how much a plant needs water depending on its place of origin and the structure of the plant, and its habitat.

For instance, houseplants like philodendrons belong to tropical regions where there is heavy rainfall. As such, these plants will require a lot of water for the plants to grow well and the large leaves. This is in sharp contrast to the succulents or the desert plants that will not require watering regularly.

What time of the year is also determined by the proportion of water indoor plants need. There are houseplants or indoor plants that thrive well during the summer and the spring season. But may not survive during the winter or fall.

If you notice that the leaves are wilting, you must know that it is time for them to get water. However, do not let the situation get to this extent. As such, stick to watering the houseplants in the morning for optimum results.

What is the best time to water indoor plants?

The best time to water plants is morning. But you will find that many people do so in the evening. Why is morning the best time? This is because even unknowingly, you have overwatered; the entire day is present for the extra water to evaporate under the sun. But you will not be able to avail the same benefit if you water indoor plants in the evening. Moreover, dampness and excessive moisture in the plant can also make the plant vulnerable to diseases the plant and insect infestation.

Sumita-Dutta
Sumita Dutta
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Sumita Dutta comes with 23+ years of experience and writes blogs and SEO articles for businesses, which want to see Google page rankings surge. Her articles are published in number of e-zine websites including EzineArticles.com, HubPages.com, and ArticlesBase.com. Her writing focuses on balancing informative insights with SEO needs.

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