How often should I water?

About once a month I am asked to ancient burning question, "how often should I water my houseplants?" Unfortunately, the answer is not as simple as "once a week." But fear not. With just a few guidelines, waters like a pro!

It is very rarely, when all the plants in your House must be watered at the same time. Although this is a practical approach for irrigation, it is probably how accustomed to overwatering starts. So every time you break out that vessels can avoid watering your plants all at the same time, and treat each plant individually. Control how wet each plant media is before deciding on whether or not it should be watered.

Because of the power of gravity media dries from the top of the pot and continues down to the roots. If you want to check the moisture level, look at the color of the media surface. Dry media is usually lighter color than wet media. Next check the weight of the plant. Water is added to the weight of the media, so that a heavier plant means vådere media. And finally, think how wet the media is. Keep your finger down into the media of an inch or two to assess its water content.

Now that you know your plant moisture level, what is next? Because different types of houseplants or species prefer different media moisture levels (depending on their root systems requirements), the following moisture-level categories designed to make your irrigation decisions easier. They are "wet," "damp" "a little damp" "a little dry" and "dry."

Plants that require a "wet" media mean that the surface of the media must never be allowed to dry out between waterings. Some examples of plants that prefer a wet rod marsh plants, the environment is like the pitcher plant and the Venus fly trap, as well as aquatic plants, such as water hyacinths and cyperus.

"Damp" means that approximately ¼-? media must dry out between waterings. Examples are the ferns and mosses.

"A little damp" means ?-½ media should be allowed to dry out between waterings. (This is where your very sophisticated "moisture probe" comes in handy-i.e. your finger!) Examples are the philodendrons, prayer plants and dumb canes.

"A little dry" means, that up to ½-? media must dry out between waterings. Examples are peperomias and snake plants.

"Dry" means that the entire pool of media should be allowed to dry out between waterings often for longer periods. Examples are cacti, jade plants and agaves.

Blade can give you signs that your plant is thirsty and. For example, get leaves of many tropical plants a grayish-blue hue, when the facility's also dry and the leaves of other plants can begin to wilt. The stems droop given will also not enough water. But be careful! Plants with roots rotted (probably a result of overwatering) will show these same characters. Dead roots cannot absorb water.

Instead of relying on a rigid irrigation schedule, use your keen senses and let observation guide your watering instincts. (And as your houseplants drinking in their water you can drink in your growing success!)