One might think to themselves, watering plants wouldn’t be such a hard task to accomplish, right? Even thinking about doing this task seems simple enough, but is it though? It is easy to water plants, you just need to get enough water in a container and spray water on your plants, but most people actually don’t know that they’re not doing it right. Plants, as simple as they look, are very complex species, that’s why there are many factors that should be considered in taking care of them, yes, even in watering them, there are lots of things to be considered. Now would be the time to ask: “How do we properly water our indoor plants?” We will answer all your questions regarding your plants and how to take care of them with the right procedure. In this ultimate guide, we will discover the best time to water indoor plants, how to take care of them, and what kind of water is best to use in watering your plants.
Read Also: 10 Best Herbs to Grow at Home
Taking Care of Indoor Plants
Indoor plants are, as the name suggests, plants that are grown indoors and can grow indoors unlike other plants that need to be planted outside to thrive. Taking care of plants indoors is becoming more and more popular these days. It’s a trend and also a hobby at the same time. Having plants inside a home has become essential in making a modern interior design. A lot of studies show how impactful and beneficial it is to have greeneries placed aesthetically inside your house. These indoor plants brighten up your spaces and make the mood and ambiance lighter. People are taking care of indoor plants more than outdoor ones because they are easier to take care of and maintain, sometimes they can also provide benefits to our health just like an herb garden in your kitchen. Indoor plants as decoration are also a good idea since it gives life to an area. Indoor plants are also the top choice for people who do not have enough space in their lots to start and cultivate an outdoor garden.
Read Also: Beauty and Benefits of Indoor Gardening
If you don’t want to do the process of planting your own plants, there are indoor plants that are already placed in containers that you can buy. If this is the case, then selecting the right indoor plant is important. Picking the right indoor plant to take care of not only increases the chances of the plant to actually thrive in an indoor environment, but it will also save you from the stress of wondering why your plant is withering despite taking care of it the best that you can. Some plants just aren’t fit enough to grow inside your home, some plants need a larger plot of land to thrive and full exposure to sunlight and natural air. Doing a little research before picking the best plants to take care of inside is encouraged.
A good indoor plant has qualities that you should look for. These qualities are what make these plants fit enough to be taken care of inside rather than outside. One of the qualities that you need to spot is a good root system. You probably need to pick a plant with a smaller root system, which is easier to spot, especially in smaller plants. This way, you would know that the roots can expand at a limited rate that wouldn’t be causing problems with the pot and your plant’s growth process. Look for a plant with thicker foliage, and also don’t forget to spot if the plant you’re about to take inside has existing diseases that could affect its growth, especially in a closed environment.
Read Also: Affordable Landscaping for your House and Lot
How to Water Indoor Plants Properly?
Watering your plants, as easy as it sounds, is actually very complex and there are a lot of considerations that you should know before giving your plants the water that they need for sustenance. This task is not just spilling water into the soil, watering plants might even differ from the type of plants that you’re taking care of. Different type of plants has different needs in their water intake and also the frequency of when you should water different plants also varies. Some plants might dry faster than other plants, which should be watered more frequently than others, some plants can be moist for days, and some plants don’t even need watering at all, and watering them regularly might actually hinder them from growing. In taking care of indoor plants, knowing when and how often should you water your them is very important.
1. Water plants as needed
Watering plants isn’t done just because you feel like so. Having similar watering procedures to all of your different indoor plants is an improper technique and could lead to your plant withering instead of thriving. The best to know if your plants need watering, you could touch the soil and assess its moisture. Of course, if the soil is dryer than it should be then the plants need watering, and if the soil is moist and a little bit wet, then your plant doesn’t need watering.
As stated, different plants need different watering procedures so having a single watering schedule is not a good idea. Indoor plants aren’t all the same, so their frequency of watering isn’t the same as well. You can set a schedule for checking if your plants are in need of water. After all, the main reason why plants aren’t thriving indoors most of the time is due to overwatering or underwatering.
2. Use a watering container
Using a watering container that is specifically designed for watering plants is a must. You can buy one from gardening shops or you can even make your own out of recycled containers. A good watering can have a long snout so that the water flow is directly going to the base of your indoor plant. It is not encouraged to use open-mouthed containers as using them has a higher chance of overwatering your plants and making a wet mess every time you do.
3. Soak the soil
When watering plants, knowing the right amount and when to stop adding water is important. Commonly in most houseplants that need watering, soaking the soil properly is the right way of watering them. This means that you should let the water penetrate the soil thoroughly until you see water coming out of the holes at the lower part of your pot, this is an indication that water has made its way to the base of the soil. Adding less water than needed is underwatering and would deprive your plant the amount of water that they need.
However, be careful and alert when watering your plants. Yes, keeping the soil soaked in water is nice and encouraged but going over the limit might put your plant’s life at risk. Never let your houseplants drown by making them sit in the water. This means that the sign of overwatering is when there’s a flood of water at the top of the soil and it isn’t sipping through the soil anymore. This will cause your plant to drown and hinder their growth due to root rot.
Read Also: A Simple Guide to Home Gardening
Watering plants is an easy task when you know you’re doing it right. Following these simple guidelines would save your indoor plants life and would solidify your reputation as an official and responsible planito or plantita.
Written by Rashid Mansan
