We often get asked, "When should I water my plants?" While it might seem like a simple question, the answer isn't very straightforward, so let us explain why.

We know it would be a breeze if we could tell you the exact amount of water and when to water your plants, but it doesn’t work like that  (wish it did though, like can you imagine how much easier it would make this hobby haha). When you begin your houseplant hobby, it takes some trial and error to work out your watering routine. Using a soil blend that is formulated to specific plants species, is a great way to leave less room for error.

Several factors must be considered when thinking about watering your house plants, such as; environments, seasons, care routines, and the specific types of plant species you own. For example, a Peace Lily may need watering every 5-6 days in summer, whereas a cactus might not require any water during winter. Mixing up their watering needs across seasons could unfortunately lead to their decline.

Environment:

Our environment is a massive factor when keeping houseplants! The humidity, temperature, and amount of natural light in your home can all affect how often you should water your plants. For example; plants in a bright, dry, hot room will need more frequent watering than those in a shady cool, environment. Understanding your home's specific conditions can help you tailor your watering schedule to meet your plants' needs better.

If you’ve moved with your plants, you’re probably very aware of this, as your temperature and humidity levels within your space can be very different. Especially if you moved from a new build to an old build etc. Allow some time to get the hang of your space, and move your plants around if needed.

Seasons:

Seasons also play a significant role in determining how often to water your houseplants. During the warmer months, like spring and summer, plants typically grow more actively and may require more water to support this growth. In contrast, during the Autumn (or Fall) and winter months, many plants enter a dormant phase, meaning they require less water. It's essential to adjust your watering schedule according to the seasons to ensure that your plants thrive throughout the year.

Also think about the other things that happen in the seasons. Winter means you will have your heating on, so though you may be pulling back on your water, take note of how close your plants are to a heating source. You may want to move them to a different spot and see how your plant gets on.

Care Routines:

Everyone’s care routine is a little different, so if someone recommends or advises you to water in a specific way or on certain days, take it with a pinch of salt as their routine works around them, their plants and their environment. Though trialing and tweaking your care routines is important, as you may find something works for you, try to take the previous points we’ve made into account. The season and your environment means you need to adapt your care routine around these things.

We have found that a lot of the Apps that are supposed to help you with plant care are also a big hit or miss, so just be cautious. Sometimes with these apps it's pretty easy to see which one’s have red flags, but if the Apps don’t work for you, don’t worry, they’re not detrimental to you and your plants.

Different Species:

Different plant species have varying water needs, and understanding these differences is key to providing proper care. For example, succulents and cacti are adapted to arid environments and require less frequent watering compared to tropical plants, which often need more moisture. Researching the specific needs of each plant species in your collection will allow you to provide the right amount of water, preventing overwatering or underwatering, which can both be detrimental to plant health.

How much water do you use, when it’s time to water?

Another question that we get is ‘how much water should I use to water my plant?’. We had a customer reach out a  few years ago that they were advised by a plant shop that they had to water their Large Thai Constellation 3 cups of water… 3 cups of water? Honestly never heard of advice like this before. How big are these cups of water? How often must they water this plant? So many questions, but unfortunately due to the plant being severely underwatered, the plants roots sadly began to rot. Advise like this should somewhat be ignored, but let’s talk about how much water you should give your plant when it needs a drink.

When it comes to the recommended amount of water, saturating the plants soil and allowing it to drain off properly is key. The water should run through easily, and make sure you are pouring water around the base of the plant, making sure the soil system is hydrated and that you’re not missing any crevices.

In order to protect your plant when saturating the soil, you need to make sure your plant pot has drainage holes, and if your nursery pot is in a decorative pot, take it out and let it drain off properly. Don’t allow the base of the pot to sit in a puddle of water for days on end, allow the plant to drain off. If you are using a well-draining soil mix, with plenty of aerating components, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lets talk about water itself!

There are few different types of water you can use for your house plants and though tap water can keep some hardier plants chugging along, when it comes to more finicky plants like Prayer plants, Anthurium Alocasia etc, you may not want to use water straight from the tap as it can cause issues.

Tap water often contains chemicals like chlorine and chloramine, which can harm plant roots and beneficial soil microbes, along with fluoride, which can cause leaf tip burn in sensitive plants – No thanks. It may also contain heavy metals like lead and copper, as well as high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium, leading to salt buildup and altered soil pH. Additionally, trace amounts of pesticides or industrial chemicals may be present, all of which can negatively affect houseplant health over time. So overall, tap water (depending on where you are from) can be a little risky.

So what else can you use other than tap?

Filtered Water
Filtered water is more beneficial as it will filter out chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals, and excess minerals like calcium and magnesium. Filtered water also reduces the risk of chemical buildup in the soil. Additionally, filtered water often has a more neutral pH, making it better suited for a wide range of plants, including those that are more sensitive to water quality. This leads to healthier, more vibrant plants over time.

Distilled Water
Distilled water is free of all impurities, including minerals, chemicals, and contaminants. Since distilled water is produced by boiling water and then condensing the steam, it leaves behind all dissolved substances, resulting in pure H₂O. This prevents issues like mineral buildup in the soil, which can lead to salt accumulation, altered soil pH, and nutrient imbalances. Distilled water also eliminates the risk of chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, and heavy metals harming your plants.

Rainwater
Rainwater is naturally soft and free of the chemicals and minerals. Unlike tap water, rainwater doesn’t contain chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, or hard minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can accumulate in the soil and harm plant roots over time. Additionally, rainwater often has a slightly acidic pH, which is closer to the natural preference of many plants, helping to enhance nutrient absorption. It also contains small amounts of nitrogen and other organic compounds that can promote healthy plant growth.

Can you use boiling water from your kettle that has cooled down…?

We've had a few questions about using cooled-down water from the kettle, but it's not something we would recommend. Boiling water does not remove minerals like calcium and magnesium, which are the primary components of limescale. Limescale, often found in kettles, can be particularly problematic for houseplants. When limescale builds up in the soil, it can lead to an excess of these minerals, which may cause salt accumulation that disrupts the soil's pH balance. This imbalance can interfere with nutrient uptake, leading to deficiencies that manifest as yellowing leaves, stunted growth, or even root damage. Additionally, tap water often has a high pH and mineral content that isn't suitable for all plants, compounding these issues over time.

Overall, getting to know your plant can really help you understand its watering needs. Take your time when watering your plant, see how long it takes for the plant to dry out, be aware of your environment and spend a little time researching your plants native environment. But before we end this rather long blog, let's cover some watering tips that may help you when caring for your plants.

Top tips

Pot Weight:
This method may take some time to get used to, but it’s a simple and effective way to know when your plant needs watering. The key is to familiarise yourself with the weight of your plant pot when it's fully watered versus when the soil has dried out. Here’s how to do it:

• After watering your plant thoroughly, pick up the pot and notice how heavy it feels.
• Over the next several days (or week, depending on the season), pick it up again regularly.
• As the soil dries, the pot will become lighter. Eventually, you'll be able to gauge the difference in weight between a well-watered plant and one that needs water.

By repeating this process, you'll get a good sense of when your plant needs to be watered based on how heavy or light the pot feels.

Soil Meters:
There are several types of tools you can use to monitor soil moisture and determine when your plant needs watering. While digital moisture meters with sensors can be convenient, they aren’t always the most reliable or accurate, and they tend to break easily.

A more dependable option is a simple wooden soil checker. When inserted into the soil, wet soil will cling to the wood ridges, indicating that your plant doesn’t need more water. If the soil is dry, it will fall off cleanly and appear dusty. An added bonus of using a soil checker is that it naturally aerates the soil each time, promoting better root health and air circulation within the soil system.

Bottom Watering
If you have a large sink, bathtub, bucket, or deep bowl, bottom watering is a great technique to try. Not only does it help prevent overwatering (yes, really!), but it can also help reduce the presence of pesky fungus gnats.

To bottom water, make sure your plant pot has drainage holes, and place it in a dish or container filled with water—about one-third of the way up the pot. Let the plant sit and absorb water for 10-15 minutes, or little longer for larger plants. Once the soil has soaked up enough moisture, allow any excess water to drain off before returning the plant to its spot.

Occasionally, water from the top to flush out any salts or minerals that may have accumulated in the soil over time.

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Thanks for reading! If you have any questions please get in touch through our contact page. We're unable to reply to comments on here so that's the best way to get a response :) Happy Watering!