The Right Way To Watering House Plants
The one aspect of house plant growing that causes the most problems is watering, no one seems to be able to give a really easy-to-follow rule as to how often it should be done - because there is no rule. Some people are lucky enough to have the knack but most of us have to learn over the years how not to kill our plants with either kindness and over-generosity or stinginess with the watering can.
So, if there are no hard and fast rules, how are we to know?
The answer is to get to know the factors which govern how much water a plant needs. The first thing to think about is the plant it self. Plants with fine, filmy leaves tend to need more than succulent plants whose fleshy leaves actually store water. A plant with a lot of large leaves will probably need more than one with fewer small leaves even if the overall size is similar. A newly potted plant that has a lot of compost in relation to the amount of top growth will need far less than a large pot bound plant whose pot is full to bursting with roots. Lastly, the quicker a plant is growing the more water it will need. One of the most important factors that governs how much a plant is growing, and so its water need, is the time of year. ln winter. most plants almost stop growing. Some flowering pot plants don't quite follow that rule but for the majority of house plants winter is a time when growth is minimal and so watering should be minimal too. Some plants will be quite happy with one watering a month. Some plants, especially those from the tropics also take a break in summer and grow most strongly in spring and autumn when the day and night lengths are about equal - similar to their natural habitat.
When plants are growing strongly they may need watering more than three times a week. The conditions in the room where they're growing also influence water requirements. Higher temperatures encourage evaporation from leaves and so more water is necessary; and plants near a window where there is more light also usually need a little extra. If the air is dried out by central heating more water may also be necessary.
Other factors to watch for are that plants in clay pots will need more water than those in plastic pots because moisture is lost through the clay while pots stood on gravel trays will need less.
How to know the signs of over-watering?
Signs of over-watering include mouldy leaves and flowers, yellow leaves, sometimes with brown tips and soft, limp leaves with rotten patches.
How to know the signs of Under-watering?
Under-watering may show as dry, yellowing leaves with brown crisp edges, especially at the base of the plant, premature fading of flowers, uniform collapse of foliage and compost shrinking from the sides of the pot. When it comes to feeding the main rule to remember is that you only feed when the plant is growing.For most plants that means between March and October although you'lI find that some will grow and lower outside that period and will appreciate a little help.
There are three main types of house plant food. Liquids are added to the water either every week or fortnight or at a lower concert tration at every feed.Dry powders or crystals are often used in the same way to give a regular balanced supply of plant food. There are also granules which are sprinkled on the surface of the compost and which are washed down to the roots every time you water. Then there are the pellets, sticks and spikes. These are inserted into the compost of established plants and slowly release their nutrients into the compost over a long period.
The great advantage of these is that a number of types with different formulae are available for different types of plant and that you don't have to remember the feed whenever you water. Once the stick is in place you forget about feeding for weeks.
Klemens Gerrit has been writing articles for nearly 6 years. Come visit his latest website
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