Water the Gift of Life

As with all living things, plants need water to survive. Plants that are planted in the ground by nature will grow roots reaching 1- 6 meters underground to get their source of water and nutrients. Hence plants grown in the ground do not need constant watering unless there is a drought.

Potted plants however, rely solely on us to replenish it’s water and nutrients (fertiliser) since we have removed the plant from it’s natural habitat into a cute pot. We are now responsible for caring, watering and fertilising our potted plants.

In the potted plant world, there is such a thing as over-watering and under-watering.

Over-watering

Over-watering is the No.1 killer of plants! This happens when the soil in the pot is too soggy and water-logged. Soil should not be too wet. If water drains out from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, excess water should be removed within 15 minutes. Do not let the plant sit in water for too long as it will lead to root rot and will damage the plant as roots will cease to function. Symptoms of root rot are mushy leaves. Once the roots begin to rot, leaves will start yellowing, eventually turn brown and die.

Under-watering

Under-watered plants are easier to remedy compared to over-watered plants. The process of deterioration of under-watered plants is easily spotted as leaves will droop, shrivel or wilt. In the case of plants that do not show symptoms of drooping or shrivelling, leaves will start to yellow and eventually turn brown and die if water is not replenished in time.

With that being said, the 2.6 billion ringgit question would be,” Just how much of water do I need for my plant?”

How much to water?

Plant Mamas & Papas are encouraged to get to know your plants’ watering requirement before purchasing your plants. For example, frequent travellers are advised not to choose plants that need to be watered frequently (eg; Fiddle Leaf Fig) and instead choose draught-tolerant plants (eg; ZZ plant).

In our previous post; The Plant Newbie: Plant 101, the rule of thumb is to water the plant to  a quarter of pot size, no matter how big or small your pot is.

How to water?

Water slowly on the soil, at the centre of the plant. Water circularly around the edge of the pot, making sure to water all sides, while observing that excess water comes out from the drainage hole. Remove any excess water from the saucer.

Other considerations on how much to water is type of pot and the weather.

In hot and dry weather, an unusually large amount of water is lost due to transpiration from the leaves and roots and evaporation from the potting mixture. Therefore, you may need to increase your watering frequency. In wet and cool weather, potted plants obviously lose less water. Adjust accordingly to the current weather situation.

Pots

It is also important to note that different types of pots evaporate at a different rates. daun.com.my uses glazed ceramic pots which allows moisture to be contained longer than cement, terracotta or plastic pots, thus reducing the frequency of watering needs. If you have purchased herbs that come in a default plastic pot, do note that they need watering at least once daily, sometimes twice; once in the morning and evening if the weather has been hot and humid.

When to water?

The most obvious indication that they require water is drooping, shrivelling or wilting leaves. However, it is not the most useful indicator, as it might be too late by then. Moreover, not all plants will show signs of thirst by wilting or drooping. Therefore, it is unwise to try to judge the moisture level from the appearance of the plant. Always check the soil before watering to be sure not to over-water or under-water.