How much is too much? How much is not enough? Sometimes it’s really hard to know if you’ve watered your pot plants properly and they can suddenly die if you don’t get it right. In this post I’m giving you some keys to tell if you’re on the right track.
The symptoms of under-watering and over-watering are often very similar, making it hard to tell if you’re neglecting or killing your plants with kindness. In both cases the ends of the leaves may appear brown and shriveled up. If you have over-watered your plants then their leaves may become soft and limp. Alternatively, if you have under- watered them their leaves may become dry and crispy.
The best way to see if the soil is damp is to stick you finger in it, up to your knuckle. If it feels cool and damp then it’s okay, but if it feels wet then it’s not. Similarly if you can’t feel any moisture or coolness at all then it’s possibly too dry.
If you keep watering the pot plant when the soil is damp then it can become anaerobic. The soil roots need to have some oxygen to survive, and if it’s constantly wet then it cannot ‘breath’. If you have a saucer under a pot that has wet soil then remove it so that water can drain away.
Self-watering pots have a channel in the base that fills with water. If this is always kept full of water the plant can get too much moisture so let the plant soak up any excess water in the trough before watering it again.
Plants that are over-watered are often located in the shade and don’t get enough sun. Check that your pot is getting at least a few hours of sunlight each day. Choose moisture loving plants if your conditions are damp and shady, such as mint, coriander, watercress, lemon balm and violets.
On the other side of the coin … soils that are too dry will produce plants without vigour and become dry, brown and crispy. Do the finger test that I described before and if the tip of your finger can’t feel anything and the soil looks crumbly then you’ll need to increase the watering.
Pot plants that are in terracotta will dry out more easily than others so you could place a saucer under these ones, especially if they are located in full sun. A larger pot holds more water than a smaller one and has more of a buffer for inconsistent watering. Move these plants to a protected area so they don’t dry out as much.
You will need to water your pot plants more in the summer time than during winter. This could vary from once a week in winter to once a day in summer. Watering in the morning before the weather heats up is a good idea and gives the plant a good chance to hydrate.
If the location of your plants seems very hot and dry to you then it’s a good chance it’s the same for your plants. Choose more tolerant plants like succulents if it’s a position that gets really hot afternoon sun. Herbs that thrive in drier soil are thyme, sage, oregano, rosemary and lavender.
Plants in full sun all day will need to be watered well, so rather than a sprinkling make sure you hose your pots until they fill to the top with water and then let it seep through the potting mix. I will do this 2 or 3 times if my pots are in a hot sunny position and I’ll place a saucer underneath the pot to catch the water draining out. The plant can then soak up what’s in the saucer throughout the day.
Happy Gardening,
The Veggie Lady
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