Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Bottom watering houseplants
Watering is always an issue with houseplants.
The vast majority of people overwater their plants. It’s our first reaction if a plant doesn’t look like we think it should. Oh, give it more water. More times that not, that isn’t the problem.
Stick your finger into the soil about first knuckle deep. If it’s dry consider watering. But first check to see that is what the plant requires. Some, such as holiday cactus can go dry half way down the pot.
Another issue is watering plants growing in soilless media, such as bark – think orchid; or plants with sensitive, fuzzy leaves like African Violets, that can be damaged by water spots.
Saturating the soil keeps the plant well-watered longer and reduces the chances of frequent overwatering.
The University of Minnesota says, set your plant in its pot in a plastic container and add enough water to cover the drainage holes about 1 inch. Let the plant sit for 20 minutes to 1 hour (less time for smaller plants, longer for larger plants).
When the soil or bark is moist, remove the pot, allow it to drain well, and then set it back in its location. Be sure to rinse the plastic container (if used for food) and spray with 70% alcohol to disinfect it.
Orchids and African Violets are very popular plants at this time of year for those of us in cold climates. They bring lovely, colorful flowers into our homes. There are LOTS of types of orchids. Some interesting ones I’d never heard of until recently include Oncidium aka Dancing Lady, with their very frilly, delicate petals of amazing colors and Miltonia with larger flowers in a range of colors and spots I hadn’t see before.
