Top 5 Watering-Related Mistakes

When it comes to caring for plants, water is such a basic, everyday essential that many new gardeners believe there's nothing to it. But the fact is, because watering is taken so much for granted, many gardeners don't realize how much damage they can be doing simply by not giving it more thought. Here are the Top 5 things you should watch out for when watering your container-grown plants:

Over-watering
Many plant lovers water with such regularity (such as every morning), they don't even bother to check if the plant really needs it. Remember, the humidity and temperature around your plant affect how much water you need to give it. And that may change from day to day. Neither your calendar, your wrist watch, nor the weatherman should be the ones telling you when you should water. The best gauge, really, is your finger! Before you pour that next dose of water on your plant, poke a finger or two into the potting mix and check if it's still moist. If it is, it's okay to skip the day's watering ritual. For succulent plants (those that don't need as much water), digging your finger in a little deeper is advised. Some potting mixes may look and feel dry at the surface but are quite moist just a fraction of an inch down. Take note, too, of your plant's ideal watering requirements. Bromeliads and cacti, for instance, are much happier going without water for days. (But do keep some water in the bromeliad's cupped leaves.) Once you get the hang of it, you can skip the finger ritual and do it just by sight or by gut gardener's feel!

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Poor drainage
This is a close relative of Mistake #1. When a gardener pours water into the pot and sees the water lingering at the top before going down slowly, he may think this is a good sign as it seems to give the plant more time to absorb the water. But the truth is, this may indicate that your potting soil is badly compacted (compressed to the point that air and water have a tough time going through). And as the water goes down, it may actually just be seeping down the sides or following tiny tunnels headed straight out of the pot and doesn't get dispersed around the potting soil and the plant's roots. Instead if soil, use good quality potting mix that's been amended with the right measure of ingredients that could help prevent compaction. Good potting mixes also have ingredients designed to retain adequate amounts of moisture. In addition, cover the holes of the pot with gravel or shards of broken pots -- even some used coffee filters or tea bags will do -- before you put in the potting mix. This helps a great deal in letting excess water through without taking the potting mix with it.

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Saucers Holding Water
Many plant lovers who've avoided Mistakes #1 and 2 may still be beset by root rot in their plants. The (almost) invisible culprit? The pot tray or saucer at the base of the pot that is meant to catch all excess water.

After watering, make sure to discard the water that collects in the saucer. Otherwise, your plant will be left sitting in water for hours or days on end!

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Containers with No Holes
Most of the commonly-used planters come with adequate drainage holes. But the more creative the gardener, the more unique the containers used. Unfortunately, many of these containers may not have holes at the base to allow the water to drain.

Whatever you decide to put that handsome new plant in, make sure to punch or drill a few drainage holes in it (one hole will do if it's a small container). If, however, your heart is set on using your great-grandmother's heirloom porcelain jar –– which obviously you're not about to drill through –– you can opt to put a thick layer of gravel at the base so the water can drain to the bottom of the container, below the plant roots and potting medium. Or better yet, you can put your plant in a smaller pot which you can then slip into the more decorative outer pot. Again, don't forget to put gravel at the base so your plant doesn't sit in water in case water collects at the bottom of the jar.

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Under-watering
Some plant lovers, aware that over-watering is the Number One cause of death among container-grown plants, swing the watering-pendulum way over to the other side and actually stay away from watering their plant until it looks semi-wilted. Others resort to merely misting the leaves or trickling a few drops a day into the potting mix.
     When you water, water until it flows out of the drainage holes of your pot. Then let your finger (or newly-honed watering instincts) guide you as to when you should water again. Remember, all plants, even cacti, need water to lead healthy lives. Knowing when and how much is the tricky part. Adjust with the seasons. The summer months dry out potting mixes much, much faster so that some plants may need you to water them even twice a day then! Observe your plants and get to know what pleases them most. If you've committed some of these mistakes before and ended up killing some beloved plants, just feel good about the fact that now, you know better. After all, it's no use crying over spilt water!

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