Questions We’re Often Asked: Watering Indoor Plants

It is a grim fact: 80 percent of all houseplants sold succumb in the first year. Most will die from incorrect watering, the majority from too much rather than too little.

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In the case of smaller specimens, simply hefting the pot will reveal the state of the soil within. Larger containers – say 10-inch diameter or more – may appear dry on the surface but still be anywhere from damp to wet lower down. A moisture meter may help here but still fail to reveal the state of the lower reaches. Even if it is possible to determine moisture level it is the species of plant that counts. A cactus, for example, may be best kept dry all winter. But a peace lily, Spathiphyllum, requires to be kept moist at all times. And, like the cactus, much depends on the time of year. Low-light, short-day conditions in winter encourage near dormancy in many larger foliage plants. What in summer required a thorough soaking every week or two may extend to every six, eight or even more weeks in winter. Note that phrase ‘thorough soaking.’ Leave the dribbles to babies. Soak until water runs out the bottom of the pot. This also flushes away deposits that tend to build up under long term container-enclosed conditions. Use room temperature water: there’s nothing like a cold drench to commence root rot. And never ever draw water from a faucet connected to a water softener. This may be good for you but will be fatal to plant life.

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