I am as basic as they come when it comes to my watering routine. I don’t have a set schedule, but have spent enough time with my plants to know what they need. Here’s what works for me.

 

• General Rule of Thumb - Water your indoor plants when the top inch or two of soil feels dry. I personally water every 7-10 days, but please note there are several factors that go into how often you should water. These include:

  • Plant Variety - is this a moisture loving or drought tolerant plant? Do the research to find out what your plant needs.

  • Time of Year - summer heat will dry plants out more quickly. This is also their growing season, and they need the extra boost.

  • Light Source - how close is the plant to a light source? A southern exposure may cause water to evaporate more quickly.

  • Container - the type of pot can affect water evaporation rates. Terra cotta, for instance, is porous and will release moisture quicker than a glazed ceramic pot.

  • Soil & Drainage - all plants need properly draining soil to avoid root rot. The type of soil mix you use may affect how quickly water is draining and when you need to water again.

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• Water Amount - Ideally, you want to see water running out of the drain holes to know you’ve given your plant enough. This can be tricky depending on the type of container your plant is in. I typically water so that the top of the soil is completely covered with about a half inch of water. I’m mindful of what plants I’m watering as some need a little more and others a little less.

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• Drainage - Making sure your plant is draining properly is huge. Root rot is a common house plant killer that will occur from overwatering or water retention. If you have a pot within a pot, you should be checking to make sure your plant is not sitting in water captured underneath. I have to drain excess water from the exterior decorative pot at times to avoid this.

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• Water Type - Again, I’m very basic when it comes to this and use tap water (I’ve used both city and well water). The one trick I employ with tap water is that I fill up a few gallon jugs and let them sit out with the cap off in between watering. This allows for some of the impurities to evaporate off. The only plants I give distilled or rain water to currently are my carnivorous plants.

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• Watering Methods - I always water from the top, only drenching the soil. There are several other methods some plants prefer, but I don’t have the energy for like bottom watering or in the shower. The only times I put my plants in the shower is if they are super dusty or has a bad pest issue.

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• Fertilizing - Yes, it is important to feed your plants. I’ve had a lot of luck with Dyna-Gro’s Foliage Pro liquid fertilize. Jack’s House Plant Special is a granular variety that also works really well. I fertilize every time I water with a low dosage amount. I’ve used this on all my plants - cacti, orchids, you name it - and have had great results across the board. I have a pump bottle that I premeasured and use to add the product to my watering can before filling with water. It’s important to read the fertilizer label to make sure you know how much you should be adding. As a side note, I ran out of Foliage Pro over the summer and decided to see what would happen if I didn’t use if for a couple months. There was a subtle, but noticeable slow in growth rate for the majority of my plants. They were still healthy, but just didn’t have that extra vibrancy I was used to. Gotta love a little science experiment every once in a while.